KUWAIT: A senior Ministry of Interior (MoI) official has rejected rumors that traffic fines are intentionally increased, with more traffic patrols on Kuwait's streets during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Traffic Week. "These are rumors spread by people. This event is about increasing awareness," said Major General Mahmoud Al-Dosari, the MoI's Assistant Undersecretary and Director General of the ministry's traffic department. "In reality, this event is about increasing awareness and the media is announcing this week's activities to reduce the number of traffic accidents and associated deaths caused by these incidents.

Speaking at the launch ceremony for the annual GCC Traffic Week, held yesterday at the Police Club, Maj. Gen. Al-Dosari explained that traffic officials from all six GCC nations will be taking part in the event, which has been held for the past 26 years. This year's Traffic Week, which runs between March 14 and 20, is being held under the slogan, 'Be Aware of Others' Faults.'

The Traffic Week will feature a number of activities, including a contest to select the 'Best Driver,' and the senior GCC traffic officials will be meeting to exchange information and experience on traffic-related issues.

The participating delegations will also attend workshops and make field visits to traffic facilities, the Kuwait Traffic Safety Society (KTSS), the Public Transport Company, Kuwait Gulf Link Transport Company, Kuwait Finance House, and the oil sector," Maj. Gen. Al-Dosari explained. "They will explore and benefit from each other's experiences, which include coordinating on the collection of traffic fine debts between the GCC countries.

This should be done through connecting the IT system in the Ministry of Interior. The traffic fines are not prescriptive, and we are studying new ways of making the payment immediate, and ways of collecting the fines from expats leaving the country definitely." Another focus of the week's events will be how best to reduce the number of traffic accidents and fatalities.

|"Through holding this Traffic Week, we aim to reduce the number of road accidents and the resulting fatalities," the senior official explained. "We aim to increase safety and security while driving, as well as reducing the incidence of bad driving. We noticed that the number of deaths has been falling consistently, from 460 in 2006 to 447 in 2007, 410 in 2008 and 407 in 2009." He warned, however, that this year's road death numbers are already high, having reached 94 since the beginning of January.

The participating officials from other GCC countries also believe that the conference will have positive results. "This year's slogan, 'Be Aware of Other's Faults,' focuses on the importance of paying attention to the surprises that may occur on the road," Major Abdullah Al-Shihi, the head of the Bahraini delegation attending the event, told the Kuwait Times. "Every motorist should expect the unexpected, even if he is a good driver. We have many good strategies for the payment and collection of traffic fines and we will share our experience with other GCC countries and benefit from their experience as well. - Kuwait Times