What do you know about traffic fines and penalties?

Muscat: Since 2018, the Sultanate of Oman has had one of the toughest traffic laws that imposes severe penalties such as losing a driver's license if a person accumulates more than 12 black points in a year.

Despite, such stringent rules, CMA has said that more than RO 25 million were paid as insurance claims for 76,200 traffic accidents in 2022. These included 15,300 major accidents and 60,900 minor accidents.

Fines and penalties

Driving a vehicle with a license from another category – RO50, 3 black points

Installation of additional equipment that increases the engine’s power or sound – RO50, 3 black points

Covering the entire face beyond the recognition of the driver – RO50, 3 black points

Not stopping at a checkpoint – RO50, 3 black points

Drifting – RO50, 3 black points

Misrepresentation of vehicle number plate, or covering the number plate– RO50, 3 black points

Driving a car with a license that has been canceled or withdrawn – RO5O, 2 black points

Driving a vehicle or a bike with limited use other than in designated places – RO50, 2 black points

Driving a foreign car with temporary registration after the end of the prescribed period – RO50

Violations of renting offices or showrooms – RO50

Installing stickers or additions to the vehicle without permission – RO50

Adding or changing fuel tanks other than factory specifications – RO50

Opening outlets on the road without approval from the administration – RO50

Following ambulances on roads – RO35, 2 black points

Driving a motorbike without wearing a helmet (driver and/or passenger) – RO35, 2 black points

Driving a vehicle without holding the steering wheel, or not sitting properly – RO35, 2 black points

Leaving the scene of an accident before all procedures are done – RO35, 2 black points

Not stopping for a police officer – RO35, 1 black point

Driving with export or import plates after the expiry of the prescribed period – RO35, 1 black point

Stopping the vehicle on the side of the road in a position that endangers its users – RO35, 1 black point

Driving heavy vehicles at a time when it is prohibited – RO35, 1 black point

Not installing the vehicle license plate in its designated location clearly – RO35, 1 black point

Driving a foreign car other than for tourism, passing through, or visits – RO35

Repair of a vehicle that has been seriously damaged, without prior consent from the police – RO35

Using mobile phones or other electronic devices while driving – RO15, 2 black points

Failure to adhere to the correct path at the traffic lights – RO15, 1 black point

Not adding reflecting markings on heavy vehicles and equipment – RO15, 1 black point

Not turning on the light alarm for trucks and accompanying vehicles – RO15, 1 black point

Installing a tool or device to place the mobile phone or other electronic devices for the driver’s use – RO15, 1 black point

Installing a box on the motorbike without permission – RO15, 1 black point

Abandoning a vehicle on either side of the road – RO15

Not installing a warning light on the dashboard of trucks/trailers, or not repairing it – RO15

Not using the correct safety belt for drivers and passengers – RO10, 1 black point

Raising the volume of the sound system, radio, or any recording on the road – RO10, 1 black point

Driving the vehicle on a road that is closed or under construction – RO10, 1 black point

Not using children’s car seats for children below 4 years old – RO10, 1 black point

Distraction with non-driving activities (e.g. reading, tampering with vehicle equipment) – RO10

Using headlights at the high beam in a way that endangers other drivers – RO10

Driving a vehicle without its main lights on a road that is lit – RO10

Driving a bicycle without wearing a helmet (driver and/or passenger) – RO10

RO50, black points for exceeding the maximum speed by more than 75 km/hr

RO35, 2 black points for exceeding the maximum speed by more than 50-75 km/hr

RO10 for exceeding the maximum speed by more than 35 km/hr –

Parking in a space designated for the disabled – RO50, 2 black points

Parking on the yellow line on the left side of the road – RO50, 2 black points

Parking a truck less than 50 meters between the yellow line on the right and the main road, when there’s no emergency – RO50, 2 black points

Parking in a space designated for ambulances – RO35, 1 black point

Parking on the yellow line on the right, when there’s no emergency – RO35, 1 black point

Parking a car for sale in places other than those designated for display or sale – RO35

Parking on a designated footpath – RO15

Parking on a part of the road – RO10

Overtaking on the yellow line or on the island – 50 OMR, 2 black points

Overtaking by heavy vehicles or trucks on roads that do not permit overtaking – 50 OMR, 2 black points

Overtaking dangerously by trucks or buses – 35 OMR, 2 black points

Overtaking by trucks or buses on non-main roads – 15 OMR, 1 black point

Overtaking in the path of deceleration, acceleration, and pedestrian ramps – 15 OMR, 1 black point

Driving on the yellow line continuously, with the intent to overtake another vehicle – 10 OMR, 1 black point

Hauling or Transporting Violations

Hauling or transporting another vehicle on a public road in a way that poses a threat to other motorists – RO35, 1 black point

Hauling or transporting a vehicle by another vehicle that is smaller in size and engine power – RO35, 1 black point

Commercial transportation on a vehicle that is carrying temporary registration plates – RO15, 1 black point

Transporting passengers in a vehicle or a motorbike with a teaching plate – RO15, 1 black point

Transporting passengers that exceed the number prescribed for buses – RO15, 1 black point

Transporting passengers over the limit specified in the vehicle’s license – RO10, 1 black point

Carrying passengers inside a cargo box – RO10, 1 black point