New traffic law in Kuwait: Women driving in niqab to be fined

Kuwait City: The Ministry of Interior in Kuwait has announced that the women found violating the ban on wearing the niqab or burqa while driving under the new traffic law will face fines ranging from 30 to 50 Kuwaiti dinars

A reconciliation fee of 15 dinars has been set, with no imprisonment imposed for this offence.

The ministry explained that the law is designed to enhance road safety, as wearing a niqab can obstruct a driver’s vision and concentration, thereby increasing the likelihood of accidents.

Furthermore, the ministry raised concerns that the niqab can make it difficult for surveillance cameras to identify drivers, heightening security risks.

In a separate statement, the ministry clarified that recent social media posts circulating about a niqab or burqa driving violation actually refer to an outdated ministerial decision from 1984. This decision is no longer in effect.

Originally introduced for þ reasons, the 1984 law was intended to address challenges in verifying the identities of women wearing niqabs or burqas who refused to reveal their faces, even if their driver’s licence photos were available.

However, with the availability of female police officers today, verifying the identity of female drivers has become a straightforward process.

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