Only valid local driving licences and foreign driving licences used by permanent residents of Rwanda will be subject to the proposed electronic merit and demerit point system determined by in the new road traffic bill. If the bill gets Presidential assent and becomes law, a Ministerial Order will determine the list of offences related to non-compliance with road traffic regulations, the applicable administrative fines, and the corresponding demerit points. According to Alfred Byiringiro, Chief Technical Advisor in charge of transport at the Ministry of Infrastructure, the electronic merit and demerit system aims to monitor driving behaviour without replacing the fines already applied for traffic violations. Which drivers with foreign licences? However, the system will not apply to non-permanent residents until it is harmonised at the regional level, he added. “We have many drivers who are transiting, including off-loaders, who make several trips in Rwanda. It is not possible to register such people. However, if a person chooses to stay in Rwanda, their licence can be registered and the point deduction system can be applied,” Byiringiro explained. ALSO READ: Major penalties in new traffic bill, related offences “Some of these drivers may only enter Rwanda once a year, depending on the nature of their work. This means that deducting points may not be effective. However, we hope that regional countries will adopt the system, as we already have civil customs,” he noted. Byiringiro clarified that cross-border drivers will continue to be subject to fines as before, without point deductions on their driving licences. However, the final Ministerial Order may include general provisions detailing how the system will operate. A closer look at the merit and demerit point system Under the proposed system, each licensed driver will start with 15 points, which will be deducted depending on the severity of the offences committed within a one-year period. At the beginning of the following year, drivers will regain all 15 points. Penalty points will range from two to six, depending on the offence committed. Serious violations, such as hit-and-run, will attract the maximum six points. If a traffic offence is committed and the driver is not immediately identified, the points will first be recorded against the vehicle’s number plate and later transferred to the driver’s licence once the responsible driver is identified. For example, if 10 serious infractions have been identified, including fleeing the scene of an accident (six points), driving with a disconnected or missing speed governor (five points), driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (four points), driving while disqualified (three points), running a red light (three points), overspeeding (three points), driving without insurance (two points), and using a handheld mobile phone while driving (two points). ALSO READ: Minister explains why new traffic bill is tough on defiant motorists The new bill also provides that a driver whose driving licence is suspended or revoked is not allowed to drive a vehicle in Rwanda, even if they hold a driving licence issued by a foreign country. Once the suspension period expires, the driving licence will be reactivated. Revocation of a driving licence will be carried out by a competent court upon request by the authority in charge of road safety.
