On Thursday, June 20, the Cyprus Parliament approved a proposal by DIKO party member Marinos Moushioutas, which introduces changes to the fines for drivers who pass through red traffic lights.
New Fines for Traffic Violations in Cyprus
According to the new regulations, drivers who drive over the pedestrian crossing located before an intersection controlled by traffic lights and road cameras will now be fined €85, instead of the previous fine of €300. Previously, this violation was considered equivalent to running a red light. However, members of parliament believed this was unfair to drivers and decided to adjust the penalty.
In addition, the fine for crossing the white stop line will remain the same at €25. If a driver drives beyond the "zebra crossing," they will now face a €300 fine. A fine of €500 will still be imposed for running a red light.
Adjustments for Right Turn Violations
The parliament also discussed how to handle drivers making a right turn after the red light comes on. Although traffic regulations do not prohibit this, cameras sometimes record it as a red light violation. The problem lies in the absence of timers on the cameras, which would help drivers determine whether they can complete their turn in time.
Previously, it was clarified that drivers have three seconds after the red light appears to complete their turn. However, members of the council decided to increase this window to four seconds to provide more clarity and fairness for drivers.
Addressing Drivers’ Concerns
The changes are expected to alleviate the burden on drivers who find themselves in vulnerable situations when making quick decisions at traffic lights. Parliament also highlighted that over the past year, traffic cameras recorded 20,000 instances of local drivers ignoring traffic lights and running red lights.
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