More people are now renewing their vehicle registration online as vehicles are exempted from technical inspection at Fahes centres. Colonel Jaber Mohamed Rashid Odaiba, Assistant Director of the Media and Traffic Awareness Department, said that there is a big demand for online renewal vehicle registration (Istimara).

The demand for renewal of Istimara has increased after the General Directorate of Traffic, in coordination with Fahes, exempted all vehicles from technical inspection at Fahes centres from March 22, 2020 until further notice. These measures were taken to limit the spread coronavirus.

Speaking to The Peninsula, Al Jaber added that there is a also big demand in general for the electronic transactions provided by the General Directorate of Traffic via Metrash2, as most of the services provided by the Department are available on Metrash2.

The headquarters of the Department is currently closed except for essential services. He said that there are about 40 traffic services available on Metrash2 app, so visitors do not need to visit the department offices. Metrash2 services included those related to driving licenses and the request to obtain and renew them.

There are other services available on the app related to vehicles such as transfer of ownership, renewal of Istimara, as well as traffic accidents, enquiries about traffic violations, payment of traffic violations and registration of traffic accidents. Regarding the decrease in traffic violations in recent months, he said that it is normal because traffic movement is less now a days compared to before, as most economic activities are currently stopped. Additionally, all the schools in the country are closed and many employees are working from home.

All these factors have resulted into less traffic on the road. However, the traffic is now expected to increase gradually in coming days as authorities have announced to lift the restrictions.

“We expect the traffic movement to increase after easing the restrictions was announced by authorities recently. The first phase of easing restrictions will be from June 15 which will be followed by a second phase from July 1,” Colonel Jaber Mohamed Rashid Odaiba, Assistant Director of the Media and Traffic Awareness Department, said.

However, Odaiba added that the traffic patrols are on the street to prevent violations and to control traffic, as they perform their normal routine work. In addition to their routine work, there are also traffic patrols that contribute to raising awareness about preventing the spread of the virus and violating those are violate the measures imposed by the competent authorities, such as preventing gatherings, the number of passengers, wearing masks, and so on, he said.

“There is a great response and commitment from motorists to the measures related to fighting virus, which should be commended,” said Colonel Odaiba.