Driving in Cyprus

THE GOVERNMENT is preparing a bill that will allow automatic revocation of drivers’ licences once 12 points have been accumulated.

According to the head of Police Headquarters’ Traffic Department, Demetris Demetriou the Road Safety Council had recently decided that the system of penalty points currently in place in Cyprus needed to be revised and updated.

Semetriou said this year a delegation of police visited Spain to learn how similar measures had cut road deaths by over 50 per cent. The same measures could be adopted here.

Under the Spanish system, new drivers start with 12 points.

If they are caught speeding or over the limit, they lose points for each offence.

When their points run out, the licence can be immediately revoked.

They also have to repeat their driving test at a cost of €450 and attend police seminars to improve their driving skills.

Once they get the licence back their new limit before being penalised is then eight points.

This system is currently not possible under Cypriot law, where points are added from zero per offence, and can continue to be accumulated while a case goes through the courts.

According to police figures, in June 285 people had accumulated 13 points, 144 accumulated 14 points, and there were drivers who had accumulated 30 points and yet were still allowed to drive.

“After this decision, a committee was appointed at the Communications Ministry – with the participation of the Road Transport Department and the police – and we have said that when a driver has amassed 12 points, he or she will be banned by law from the right of possessing a licence for a period of time that hasn’t been decided yet,” Demetriou said.

The committee is due to meet again on the 24th September.

“There are also other provisions, one of which is that there will be gradual increases in the fines and penalty points imposed for violations, such as speeding or driving under the influence.”

Demetriou said once the bill was completed, it would be assessed by the Legal Services and then submitted to parliament for discussion.

Another bill has already been submitted to parliament requesting a reduction in the current acceptable breathalyser alcohol limit from 22 mg to 9 mg – around half a glass of beer for certain drivers.

“A bill has already been submitted to parliament for a reduction of the acceptable alcohol limit for beginner drivers and special categories of drivers – such as bus drivers, lorry drivers, taxi drivers and drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous cargoes,” said Demetriou.

“Driving under the influence of alcohol has been the main reason for fatal road accidents in the past four years in Cyprus,” he added.

“From the start of this year, 92,553 drivers were alcohol tested, of whom 4,976 were found to be over the limit and arrested. “This means, one in 19 drivers checked were driving over the limit,” said Demetriou. This was a record, he added.

12 points and you’re out – Cyprus Mail.

Police Notice.

It has been observed lately that many vehicle owners fail to transfer the vehicles to their new owners, leading to several problems, including exposing themselves to prosecution.

To change the ownership of a vehicle, the legislation requires the following:

* The use of any vehicle for more than 30 days from the day the change in ownership unless the new owner shall disclose the change in writing to the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles.

* The registered owner (seller) is required within thirty days from the day of the sale of his car, to disclose the change in writing to the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles.

It is the responsibility of both the seller and the buyer of each vehicle to ensure the transfer, in accordance with the law. If you fail to do so should be prepared to suffer the consequences when it appears that non-compliance in cases of traffic accidents or crimes such as arson, car, or to extra-judicial complaints.

Details of how to change the ownership of a vehicle can be found here.

The Ministry of Communications and Works is proposing a review of the penalty points system to encourage safe drivers and more easily ban repeat offenders.

The Ministry also intends to amend the points system, after a recent delegation visited Spain to learn how similar measures had cut road deaths by over 50 per cent.

Demetris Demetriou, head of road traffic police said that under the Spanish system, new drivers receive 12 points, and if they have no accidents or commit no traffic violations they will gain two points each year. If they are caught speeding or over the limit, they will lose points for each offence. When their points run out, the licence can be immediately revoked. This is not possible under Cypriot law, where points are added per offence, and can continue to be accumulated while the case goes through the courts.

Demetriou said: “According to figures announced by the traffic police headquarters 285 people have accumulated 13 points, 144 accumulated 14 points, and there are drivers who have accumulated 30 points and yet still drive.”

Marcoullis said: “At a certain level the licence is automatically taken away without the need to go to court, and to get it back the driver has to pass their test again and take extra classes.”

This is likely to mean a minimum six-month ban and 24 hours of extra lessons; this proposal is now under review by the Road Transport Council.

The new measures are unlikely to come into force before the summer break, Marcoullis said, as they are awaiting approval by Attorney General, before being debated in Parliament and then approved by the Council of Ministers.

THE GOVERNMENT has announced plans to reduce the breathalyser limit for certain categories of driver from 22mg to just 9mg, or around half glass of beer, after alcohol related road deaths rose 38 per cent in the last year.

The Ministry of Communications and Works is also proposing a review of the penalty points system to encourage safe drivers and more easily ban repeat offenders.

Communication and Works minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis said yesterday: “We need to do something, as deaths have risen by 38 per cent this year. We have concluded a draft legislation, which is now in the hands of the Attorney-general, which will provide for a maximum limit of nine milligrams for certain categories of driver. This is around half a glass of beer.”

Those affected by the law will include new drivers (up to one year), drivers of heavy-duty lorries, those transporting dangerous goods, motorcyclists and taxis. For drivers not in these categories, the alcohol limit will remain at 22mg, which is around one glass of wine for the average person.

In Cyprus the blood/alcohol level limit – a different measurement taken by police involving a blood test – is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood or 0.5 grams per litre.

The new measures are unlikely to come into force before the summer break, Marcoullis said, as they are awaiting approval by Attorney General, before being debated in Parliament and then approved by the Council of Ministers.

Breathalyser limits being cut for certain drivers – Cyprus Mail.

Nicosia:  The number plates on all cars and motorcycles may change next week if approved by parliament.

The relevant bill, which seems will be approved by all parties involved, provides for a new system employing only the 12 letters of the Greek alphabet that are common to the Latin alphabet, such as A, B, E, Z and H, in addition to the numbers.  Cars will have white plates, front and rear.  Rental cars will have red plates without the characteristic “Z” and taxis, buses and trucks will have have yellow plates without the “T”.  Government plates will be orange and the plates of diplomatic cars will be  green.

The proposed legislation will not be retro-active.  Car owners will not have to change their plates after the law is enacted.

The only change will be for motorcyclists.  Number plates must be visible and located at the back of the bike.

There is also a provision whereby, if a motorcyclist violates law, the police will fine them and confiscate their bikes until they ensure their plates are up to date with the law.

The new regulations also provide that only dealers can produce the new plates.

A person may now apply for a provisional licence at the age of 17.5 years.  This applies to cars only.

Provisional licence holders aged 17.5 must be accompanied by an experienced driver aged 30 and upwards who has held a full driving licence for the class of vehicle for no less than five years.

However, a driver in this class cannot take the driving test until they are 18 years of age.

How to apply for a provisional licence.

As of the 12^th of March, 2010, the writing, attaching or displaying of any object on the windscreen of a vehicle is prohibited.

For the time being the police will not prosecute drivers who display their circulation licences on their windscreen.

The reason is that the law requiring  the displaying of  circulation licences, regulation 23 of the motor vehicles regulations, is still in force and has yet to be repealed.  It is expected to be repealed soon.

Therefore, a  fine cannot be issued to persons who display their circulation licence on the windscreen of their vehicle until the legislation requiring the licence to be displayed is repealed.

Letter on the subject from Police HQ Traffic Branch.

POLICE are conducting drugs tests on drivers who were involved in a fatal car accident earlier this week to determine if they had been operating their vehicles under the influence of narcotics, said Traffic Department director Demetris Demetriou yesterday.

Demetriou also said a bill has been drafted and sent to the Legal Service which would grant police the right to stop drivers and force them to submit to a narcotics test. The bill will soon be tabled in Parliament for a vote so as to speed its passage, Demetriou added.

The new actions come as a result of an accident early Wednesday evening on a stretch of highway between Aradippou and Dhekelia.

Costas Coufou, 23, from the Ayios Anaryiros refugee estate, and Rolando Palmas, 35, from Liyadia, were killed in the accident, while Angelos Andronikou, 55, was seriously injured.

Drugs test on road victims – Cyprus Mail.

OVER 8,000 drivers have lost their licence for various periods of time since the point system was introduced, police said yesterday.

At present, 3,313 drivers have over 10 penalty points while 8,381 have so far lost their licence for various periods of time.

“Most are under 25-years-old and this is worrying,” traffic police chief Demetris Demetriou said.

A licence is taken away when the driver reaches 12 points.

Demetriou said most penalty points had been imposed for speeding.

Points are deleted three years after the day they were imposed.

Points system stings for 8,000 drivers – Cyprus Mail