The General Traffic Department at the Ministry of Interior issued Administrative Circular No. 9 of 2025 requiring the impoundment of vehicles for two months when delivery drivers commit violations such as parking in prohibited areas or deliberately blocking roadways. The measure applies uniformly with no exceptions permitted for any official to shorten the period before it fully expires. A security source confirmed the circular took effect in late October 2025 after initial applications on cases involving dangerous overtaking and traffic obstruction.
Delivery drivers face additional fines ranging from 15 to 20 Kuwaiti dinars upon completion of the impoundment term according to the circular distributed to all assistant directors and traffic department heads. The directive stresses full implementation across patrols and monitoring units with accountability assigned to any staff member who does not adhere. This enforcement targets the rise in such violations tied to the expansion of food delivery and parcel services in residential and commercial zones.
The Ministry of Interior stressed that these steps are designed to deter repeat offenders maintain traffic order and protect the safety of all road users across the country. Local reports indicated the policy has already resulted in multiple impoundments since its activation with surveillance cameras and patrols identifying frequent offenders among commercial vehicles. Delivery operations often cited in public complaints for stopping abruptly or using sidewalks have drawn particular scrutiny under the new rules.
Gulf News reported that the circular expands earlier penalties applied to reckless driving and now explicitly includes parking breaches that contribute to bottlenecks in major areas. The General Traffic Department relies on a combination of fixed cameras drones and citizen reports to document cases in real time. Officials have instructed teams to refer persistent violators to prosecution under updated traffic regulations that permit court action on any offense.
A security source told reporters that expatriate drivers accumulating repeated violations of this nature may also encounter deportation measures in addition to the vehicle penalty. The policy aligns with Article 207 and 209 of the traffic law executive regulations that authorise impoundment periods of up to 60 days. Enforcement has focused on peak delivery hours when obstruction tends to intensify near restaurants and apartment complexes.
Times Kuwait noted that the circular prohibits any premature release of impounded vehicles and requires documentation of each case for internal review. Similar campaigns in prior years reduced certain violation rates but delivery-related parking issues persisted prompting the current escalation. Drivers are expected to utilise designated loading zones where available to avoid triggering the two-month sanction.
