Huge Increase in Fines for Driving Violations Friday

A steep rise in fines for violations of traffics may be just the incentive Israelis need to drive more safely, according to Transport Minister Yisrael Katz. Under directives signed by Minister Katz, the new fines, some more than double the previous level, will go into effect on Friday.

Among the increases: The fine for failing to stop at a red stoplight jumps from NIS 1,000 to NIS 1,500; riding a bike on the sidewalk will cost riders NIS 250, instead of the previous NIS 100; if that bicycle is an electric one, the fine will be NIS 1,000; driving without a valid license will carry a fine of NIS 1,000, instead of the current NIS 750; and speeding will cost drivers NIS 1,500, whether in town or on the highway.

“These new fines will increase the awareness of drivers, and allow for more effective punishment for unsafe drivers, which will be meted out much more swiftly,” said the minister. “In addition, our office is working to ensuring that new life-saving technologies are installed on vehicles, in order to improve drivers’ habits.”

Last week, Minister Katz announced that beginning next January, all new cars in Israel would be required to have safety systems like the one made by Mobileye. The new order will go into effect at the beginning of 2018, Minister Katz said. The Mobileye system, already installed on large numbers of new cars, alerts drivers if they get too close to the car in front of them, and if they are veering out of their lane – two actions that could reduce the number of road accidents in Israel, the minister said. “I already saw the life-saving potential of this technology years ago, and was impressed by the company’s desire to save lives,” he said. “I believe that the technology being developed by Mobileye will lead to a revolution no less than that of the communications revolution.”