Major increase in traffic fines: What are the penalties for each violation?

The regulation containing comprehensive amendments to the Highway Traffic Law has been published in the Official Gazette and has entered into force. With the new regulation, administrative fines applied to traffic violations have been significantly increased, while sanctions regarding driver's licenses and vehicles have also been toughened.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS

According to the new regulation, the administrative fine for drivers caught driving with a blood alcohol level above 0.50 promille has been increased to 25,000 liras. If the same violation is repeated for a second time, the fine will be 50,000 liras, and for the third and subsequent violations, it will be 150,000 liras.

Drivers found to be operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or stimulants will be fined 150,000 liras, and their driver's licenses will be revoked. Drivers who refuse the request of law enforcement to undergo alcohol or drug testing will be subject to the same amount of fine, and their licenses will be confiscated for a period of 5 years.

STRICT SANCTIONS FOR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN TRAFFIC

Drivers who persistently follow another vehicle with the intent to attack or who exit their vehicle for this purpose will be subject to an administrative fine of 180,000 liras. The driver's licenses of these individuals will be suspended for 60 days, and the vehicles they were driving will be impounded for 30 days.

Drivers whose licenses have been suspended will be able to regain their driver's license after undergoing a psychotechnical evaluation.

FINES MULTIPLIED FOR DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE

Those who operate a motor vehicle without a driver's license will be fined 40,000 liras. A fine of 200,000 liras will be imposed on those who drive despite their license being temporarily or provisionally suspended, as well as those who get behind the wheel even though their driver's license has been revoked.

Vehicle owners who allow individuals whose driver's licenses have been revoked to drive their vehicles will be issued an administrative fine of 40,000 liras based on the registration plate.

GRADUATED PENALTY SYSTEM FOR RED LIGHT VIOLATIONS

The driver's licenses of drivers who cause an accident as a result of a red light violation will be suspended for 60 days. The driver's licenses of drivers who commit 6 red light violations within one year retrospectively from the date of the last violation will be revoked.

Fines for red light violations will increase based on the number of repetitions. Accordingly, an administrative fine of 10,000 liras will be applied for the second violation, 15,000 liras for the third, 20,000 liras for the fourth, 30,000 liras for the fifth, and 80,000 liras for the sixth violation.

HEAVY SANCTIONS FOR ACROBATIC DRIVING AND DRIFTING

Drivers who perform acrobatic maneuvers with their vehicles, commonly known as "drifting," will be fined 46,000 liras. The licenses of these drivers will be suspended for 60 days, and their vehicles will be impounded for 60 days.

Driver's licenses will be returned on the condition that a psychotechnical evaluation is performed at the end of the period and the administrative fine is paid in full. The licenses of drivers whose licenses are suspended for the second time within 5 years retrospectively from the date of the last violation will be permanently revoked.

An administrative fine of 5,000 liras will be imposed on bicycle, electric scooter, moped, and motorcycle riders who drive on pedestrian paths.

GRADUATED FINE FOR MOBILE PHONE USE WHILE DRIVING

Drivers who use mobile phones or similar communication devices while driving will be fined 5,000 liras. If this violation is repeated for a second time within a year, the fine will be increased to 10,000 liras. In the event that the same rule is violated for the third or more times within a year, a fine of 20,000 liras will be applied each time, and their driver's licenses will be suspended for 30 days each time.

CONVOYS, WEAVING, AND OBSTRUCTING TRAFFIC FLOW

Those who weave through traffic, drive in the opposite direction on highways and divided roads, or stop traffic with arbitrary actions in a convoy or individually in a way that makes it difficult for other vehicles to pass will be fined 90,000 liras each.

FINES FOR FAILING TO YIELD RIGHT OF WAY

Those who do not yield to vehicles with the right of way will be subject to an administrative fine of 15,000 liras. Drivers who do not yield to ambulances or fire trucks will be fined 46,000 liras; additionally, sanctions such as license suspension and impounding of vehicles will be applied.

Those who do not comply with the following distance between vehicles will be fined 5,000 liras, and those who violate the right-of-way rules at intersections will be subject to an administrative fine between 1,000 and 5,000 liras.

NEW PENALTY TARIFF FOR SPEED LIMIT VIOLATIONS

With the regulation, the fines to be applied to drivers who exceed the speed limits determined in the regulation have been redetermined. Administrative fines starting from 2,000 liras for those exceeding the speed limit by 6-10 km/h within residential areas, and up to 30,000 liras for violations of 66 km/h and above, will be applied.

Outside residential areas, a fine of 2,000 liras will be imposed on those exceeding the speed limit by 11-15 km/h, and 30,000 liras for violations of 71 km/h and above.

The licenses of those who exceed the speed limit by 46-55 km/h within residential areas will be suspended for 30 days, those who exceed it by 56-65 km/h for 60 days, and those who exceed it by more than 66 km/h for 90 days.

NEW POWERS FOR TRAFFIC POLICE

Traffic police officers serving in units responsible for highways may also be assigned as general law enforcement officers with the approval of the Minister of Interior, provided that it is limited to their areas of responsibility. In regions where traffic police are absent or insufficient, general law enforcement will have the authority to regulate traffic and intervene in traffic crimes according to the procedures specified in the legislation.

PERMIT REQUIREMENT FOR HEAVY TONNAGE VEHICLES

It has become mandatory to obtain permission from the General Directorate of Highways for vehicles carrying special loads to enter traffic. A highway usage fee will be collected from these vehicles. The fee will be announced every year based on criteria such as tonnage per axle, number of axles, and transport distance.

HIGH FINES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH A 'STOP' ORDER

Drivers who flee by failing to comply with a police 'stop' order will be subject to an administrative fine of 200,000 liras. The licenses of these drivers will be suspended for 60 days, and their vehicles will be impounded for 60 days.

HEAVY SANCTIONS FOR LICENSE PLATE IRREGULARITIES

An administrative fine of 4,000 liras will be imposed if the license plate is contrary to the dimensions and qualities specified in the regulation or if the required number of plates is not attached. Vehicles will be impounded until their plates are made compliant.

Drivers using a license plate belonging to another vehicle, a fake plate, or a plate without a registration record will be fined 140,000 liras; their driver's licenses will be suspended for 30 days, and their vehicles may be impounded for 30 days.

Drivers who deliberately make changes to make the plate difficult to read will also be subject to an administrative fine of 140,000 liras, and their vehicles will be impounded for 30 days.

The law amendment stated the following:

"Drivers who deliberately make changes to their license plate in a way that causes the registration plate to be read differently or to be unreadable shall be fined 140,000 Turkish liras, and the vehicle shall be impounded for thirty days. Drivers who deliberately make changes to their license plate in a way that causes two or more registration plates to be read differently or to be unreadable within one year retrospectively from the date of the last violation shall be fined 280,000 Turkish liras each time, and the vehicle shall be impounded for sixty days.

It is prohibited to drive moped and motorcycle type vehicles on one wheel, lying on the seat, standing on the seat, spinning around itself, sliding the wheel, or performing similar acrobatic movements that negatively affect driving safety, except for shows performed with permission.

An administrative fine of 5,000 Turkish liras shall be applied to drivers who do not comply with the provisions of clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) of the first paragraph and the fifth paragraph. Drivers who do not comply with the provisions of clause (f) of the first paragraph shall be fined 46,000 Turkish liras, their driver's licenses shall be suspended for sixty days, and the vehicle shall be impounded for sixty days. Driver's licenses suspended in this manner shall be returned at the end of the suspension period, provided that it is understood that the driver has no obstacle to obtaining a driver's license after undergoing a psycho-technical evaluation and that all administrative fines imposed under this Law have been collected."

News Source: 12punto