Prison Sentences for Traffic Offenses! Which Offenses Will Face Harsher Penalties?

With the new judicial package, penalties will be increased for drivers who cause accidents and flee the scene, those driving without a license, and individuals who obstruct the movement of vehicles. In some cases, these offenders could face prison sentences.

Under the new judicial package, penalties for certain traffic offenses will be increased, and the scope for imprisonment and license confiscation will be broadened. The details of the legal changes to be made within the framework of the Judicial Reform Strategy Document, announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, are starting to emerge.

Penalties for Certain Traffic Offenses Will Increase

The first goal outlined in the “Strategy Document” is to eliminate the perception of impunity in society. According to a report in Türkiye Gazetesi, this will involve increasing penalties for certain traffic offenses and introducing new regulations to deter offenders.

Specifically, penalties will be heightened for those who cause accidents and flee the scene, those driving without a license, and those who forcibly obstruct the movement of vehicles. Currently, individuals who flee the scene after an accident face a fine of 2,170 lira and 20 penalty points. Even if they later return and admit to the accident, they do not face a deterrent penalty because it becomes difficult to determine whether they were under the influence of alcohol, given the time passed since the incident. As a result, measures may be taken to confiscate the driver’s license for an extended period, increase fines, and in certain cases, impose prison sentences for those who flee the scene of an accident.