Egypt’s Cabinet has approved amendments to Traffic Law No. 66 of 1973, introducing tougher penalties—including prison sentences and heavier fines—for a wide range of offenses.

The draft legislation now heads to the House of Representatives for debate and approval, before eventual presidential ratification.

The reforms target violations such as unlicensed driving, speeding, road pollution, plate tampering, and serious safety breaches, aiming to improve road safety and deter reckless behavior amid persistently high accident rates.

Key Provisions include:

• Unlicensed/Expired Vehicles (Art. 54): Administrative seizure; owners must pay full annual tax plus a one-third surcharge, capped at five years.
• Lane/Speed Violations (Art. 70 bis): Fines ranging from LE 2,000–10,000.
• Road Pollution (Art. 72 bis 2): Fines of LE 5,000–15,000 for dumping waste, excessive noise, smoke, odors, or leaking hazardous loads. Repeat offenses within six months double the fine; a third offense within a year adds a one-year license suspension.
• Plate/ID Violations (Art. 74 bis 2): Up to one year in prison and/or LE 2,000–5,000 fine for expired or missing plates, tampering, or concealment. Repeat offenses escalate to mandatory prison terms, with corporate managers and entities held jointly liable.
• No Driver’s License (Art. 74 bis 4): Up to six months in prison and/or LE 2,000–5,000 fine; repeat offenses within a year double the penalty.
• Serious Offenses (Art. 75): Up to six months in prison and/or LE 300–1,500 fine for violations such as speeding commercial vehicles, defective brakes, false information, obstructing traffic, unlicensed driving schools, or assaulting officers. Repeat offenses escalate to one year in prison.

The amendments reflect Egypt’s push to modernize traffic enforcement and strengthen accountability, particularly for corporate entities and repeat offenders.