Kuwait Logged Over 1.1 Million Traffic Violations in Five Months

I came across this today and honestly, the number stopped me mid-scroll: over 1.1 million traffic violations in Kuwait in just 153 days. That’s not a typo. That’s roughly 7,300 violations every single day, somewhere on Kuwait’s roads, from April right through to the end of August 2026.

If you drive in Kuwait, even occasionally, there’s a decent chance you’ve either committed one of these or sat in traffic while someone else did. The figures come from the General Directorate of Traffic, and they paint a pretty clear picture of what’s actually going wrong on our streets.

Let’s break down where all these violations are coming from, because the numbers tell an interesting story about driving habits here.

So what exactly were people being fined for?

Speeding is the clear leader here, and it’s not close. With 415,806 violations over the period, it works out to roughly one speeding ticket issued every 32 seconds somewhere in the country. That’s a staggering pace, and it suggests speed cameras and patrols are catching a huge volume of drivers who just aren’t slowing down.

Illegal parking is the next biggest headache, with 267,584 cases logged. If you’ve ever circled a block in Salmiya or Kuwait City looking for a spot and seen cars dumped on pavements or in no-parking zones, this won’t surprise you one bit. We’ve already covered how parking in the wrong spot can get your car clamped, and these figures show just how common the problem is.

Mobile phone use while driving comes in third at 94,945 violations, roughly 620 a day. This is the one that genuinely worries me the most, because unlike speeding or parking, using your phone behind the wheel takes your eyes completely off the road.

What about the other offences?

The list doesn’t stop there. Seat belt violations added up to 82,607 cases, and running red lights accounted for 33,052. Beyond these, the directorate also recorded violations for not following road markings, driving on road shoulders, and what’s broadly described as reckless or negligent driving.

None of these numbers exist in isolation. Just this week we reported on a bus crash on Abdali Road that left 22 workers injured, a reminder of how quickly things can go wrong when road safety slips. And Kuwait has also been tightening enforcement in other areas, including the recent crackdown on delivery riders that warned of two-month impounds for repeat offenders.

Why does this matter if you live here?

For residents and citizens alike, this isn’t just a statistics exercise. Every one of these violations carries a fine, and depending on the offence, some can also mean points on your licence or even impoundment in serious cases. If your car does get taken off the road, we’ve laid out exactly how to get an impounded vehicle back.

It also means you’re more likely than ever to encounter a speed camera, a parking patrol, or a checkpoint looking for phone use. The General Directorate of Traffic has said it’s continuing its enforcement campaigns and monitoring efforts specifically to cut down on dangerous driving and improve road safety, so this isn’t a one-off count, it’s an ongoing push.

For expat drivers especially, it’s worth remembering that traffic fines in Kuwait can pile up quietly and cause problems later, whether that’s at vehicle renewal time or when dealing with residency paperwork. Keeping a clean record saves you money and hassle down the line.

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