A new law will tighten Morocco's rules of the road and impose higher penalties on drivers who break the law.
By Hassan Benmehdi in Casablanca and Siham Ali in Rabat for Magharebia – 08/01/10
Morocco's Chamber of Councilors on Tuesday (January 5th) unanimously passed a Highway Code that will increase fines and create a point system to maintain order on the roads.
The unanimous vote came at the end of an intense seven-hour meeting in which compromises were reached on the level of fines and the duration of jail sentences for those who break the law.
"We aimed to be reasonable in passing this bill, taking into account the national interest and not overlooking the fact that this law has now been agreed on by all, and that's very important," said Istiqlal Party member Mohamed Gharchi.
The new Highway Code is expected to come into force in October 2010, which will provide the government with ample time to prepare the necessary road infrastructure, as well as give Moroccan drivers time to familiarize themselves with details of the law.
Passage of the law is seen as a victory for Transport Minister Karim Ghellab, who obtained approval of the bill from the Parliamentary Finance and Planning Committee within the Chamber of Councilors.
Nearly 80 amendments were made to the bill before it was put to a vote.
Fines, which had been a major source of controversy, were lowered. Originally set at 400, 600 and 900 dirhams depending on the severity of the offense, fines are now set at 300, 500 and 700 dirhams.
The lawmakers also decided to create an arbitration procedure to draw up accident reports for drivers and determine fines.
The highly-contested Article 65, which deals with jail sentences for negligent drivers, was also amended. In the original bill, drivers who cause accidents could face jail time for causing their victims to be medically incapacitated for as few as six days. An amendment changed this period to 21 days.
However, the new law also states that victims claiming injury must submit to secondary medical examinations to prevent baseless claims from reaching the courts.
As for the jail sentences themselves, the current provisions of the Penal Code remain in force. However, a key clause regarding the apportionment of liability has been added to ensure that only those responsible for accidents will be prosecuted.
"In the light of the commitments made with respect to trade unions and professionals, we have decided to retain the existing custodial sentences on the condition that the final version will contain clear provisions regarding liability in the event of accidents," said the transport minister.
Changes were also made to the new point system for drivers. Drivers will begin with 30 points, not the original 24, and points will be taken away for each traffic violation.
Most transport workers have supported the legislation, which they have followed closely. Cab Drivers' Union chief Moustapha El Kihel praised the new Highway Code for its "well-developed institutional framework", which he believes will "protect the public from misconduct" by officers who report traffic accidents.
Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/01/08/feature-02.
By Hassan Benmehdi in Casablanca and Siham Ali in Rabat for Magharebia – 08/01/10
Morocco's Chamber of Councilors on Tuesday (January 5th) unanimously passed a Highway Code that will increase fines and create a point system to maintain order on the roads.
The unanimous vote came at the end of an intense seven-hour meeting in which compromises were reached on the level of fines and the duration of jail sentences for those who break the law.
"We aimed to be reasonable in passing this bill, taking into account the national interest and not overlooking the fact that this law has now been agreed on by all, and that's very important," said Istiqlal Party member Mohamed Gharchi.
The new Highway Code is expected to come into force in October 2010, which will provide the government with ample time to prepare the necessary road infrastructure, as well as give Moroccan drivers time to familiarize themselves with details of the law.
Passage of the law is seen as a victory for Transport Minister Karim Ghellab, who obtained approval of the bill from the Parliamentary Finance and Planning Committee within the Chamber of Councilors.
Nearly 80 amendments were made to the bill before it was put to a vote.
Fines, which had been a major source of controversy, were lowered. Originally set at 400, 600 and 900 dirhams depending on the severity of the offense, fines are now set at 300, 500 and 700 dirhams.
The lawmakers also decided to create an arbitration procedure to draw up accident reports for drivers and determine fines.
The highly-contested Article 65, which deals with jail sentences for negligent drivers, was also amended. In the original bill, drivers who cause accidents could face jail time for causing their victims to be medically incapacitated for as few as six days. An amendment changed this period to 21 days.
However, the new law also states that victims claiming injury must submit to secondary medical examinations to prevent baseless claims from reaching the courts.
As for the jail sentences themselves, the current provisions of the Penal Code remain in force. However, a key clause regarding the apportionment of liability has been added to ensure that only those responsible for accidents will be prosecuted.
"In the light of the commitments made with respect to trade unions and professionals, we have decided to retain the existing custodial sentences on the condition that the final version will contain clear provisions regarding liability in the event of accidents," said the transport minister.
Changes were also made to the new point system for drivers. Drivers will begin with 30 points, not the original 24, and points will be taken away for each traffic violation.
Most transport workers have supported the legislation, which they have followed closely. Cab Drivers' Union chief Moustapha El Kihel praised the new Highway Code for its "well-developed institutional framework", which he believes will "protect the public from misconduct" by officers who report traffic accidents.
Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/01/08/feature-02.
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