The Interior Ministry seeks to bolster national road safety in this latest display of technological prowess.

Qatar’s Interior Ministry (MoI) has announced installing monitoring devices to deter the nation’s traffic violators.

In a video communique uploaded via X, the MoI said it was tackling rampant right-side overtaking on the nation’s roads — what the Ministry described as “reckless behaviour” and disregard for the safety of others.

To this end, “to improve road safety, advanced monitoring systems have been introduced to detect [overtaking] on the right side,” the communique said.

This coincides with Law No. 13 of 1998 on Road Traffic, which stipulates that in the event of slow traffic, drivers may only overtake from the left side after indicating.

Qatar’s motorists welcomed the Ministry’s crackdown, with one X user remarking that right-side overtaking causes frequent gridlock in West Bay during the morning commute.

In 2015, an amendment to national traffic laws meant reckless drivers now face stricter repercussions for traffic violations.

Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Law No. 16 of 2015, which updated the existing traffic law No. 19 of 2007. The amendment doubled fines for illegally overtaking cars from the right lane.

Previously, motorists caught wrongly overtaking on the right, as well as illegally parking in spots reserved for disabled people faced fines of 500 Qatari Riyals.

Under the updated law, the fines for these offences currently stand at 1,000 Qatari Riyals.

Authorities may also issue offenders with three points on their licence. 

A driver who accumulates 14 points will have their licence suspended for three months. Repeat offenders risk their licence being suspended for upwards of one year.