Video – Kuwait traffic police step up checks on delivery riders

If you ride a delivery motorcycle in Kuwait, or you work for a delivery company that employs riders, this is for you. The General Traffic Department has just run another campaign checking how delivery riders drive, and some riders have already been detained, fined, or had their bikes impounded.

This comes only days after Kuwait set new rules for delivery bike riders, and weeks after a traffic crackdown warned riders of a 2-month impound for serious offences. The message from police is clear: this isn’t a one-off check. It’s part of an ongoing effort.

Who exactly is affected?

This campaign targets anyone riding a delivery motorcycle in Kuwait, no matter which company they work for. Most delivery riders in Kuwait are expats, often from South Asian countries, working for food delivery apps and courier services.

It doesn’t just affect the riders either. Delivery companies are being told directly to make sure their riders follow the law. If your company doesn’t train or supervise riders properly, that’s now a problem for the business too, not just the person on the bike.

What were the riders doing wrong?

The General Traffic Department listed the exact violations its patrols were looking for. These included:

• Not staying in the right-hand lane
• Illegal overtaking
• Weaving between cars in traffic
• Driving on or off sidewalks
• Poor lighting on delivery boxes at the back of the bike
• Not wearing a reflective safety vest

If you ride a delivery bike, these are the exact things to check before you head out. Small things, like forgetting your reflective vest or riding with dim lights on your delivery box, are enough to get you stopped and fined.

How the campaign is run

The operation was supervised by Brigadier General Ahmed Fahd Al-Azmi, Head of the Traffic and Operations Sector, and led by Brigadier General Rashid Hamoud Al-Hajri, Director General of the General Traffic Department. Colonel Ayoub Ghazi Fathallah, Assistant Director General for Traffic Regulation Affairs, also took part.

Patrols didn’t just watch for driving mistakes. They also checked whether riders were following the wider rules that govern delivery work in Kuwait, not only traffic law. That ties into the delivery fee cap and new regulations introduced earlier this year, which also set out conditions for how delivery work should run.

What happens if you’re stopped?

According to the General Traffic Department, several outcomes are possible depending on the violation:

1. You could be issued a traffic citation (a fine) on the spot.
2. Your motorcycle, or a vehicle involved, could be impounded.
3. In more serious cases, you could be detained and referred to traffic detention.
4. If you’re found in violation of your residency or work conditions, you could be referred to the competent authorities for deportation procedures.

That last point is the one expat riders should take most seriously. A traffic fine is one thing. Being referred for deportation procedures is far more serious, and it shows these checks aren’t only about road safety paperwork.

If your vehicle does get impounded, there’s a clear process to get it released, but it takes time and, usually, money.

What this means for expats working in delivery

If you’re an expat riding a delivery bike in Kuwait, this campaign is a direct warning. Follow lane rules, wear your reflective vest, keep your delivery box lights working, and don’t weave between cars to save a few minutes. These are the exact things patrols are watching for right now.

If you manage or own a delivery company, make sure your riders know the rules too. The government is treating this as an ongoing problem, not a single sweep, so expect more checks like the one that started on 18 October.

Kuwait logged over 1.1 million traffic violations in just five months earlier this year, a sign of how seriously traffic authorities are now taking enforcement across the board, not just for delivery riders.

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