Türkiye has witnessed a dramatic reduction in dangerous driving violations following the implementation of stricter traffic regulations and bolstered enforcement measures earlier this year. On February 27, amendments to the country’s Highway Traffic Law introduced more severe penalties for a variety of offenses deemed significant threats to road safety.
Official statistics reveal a striking improvement in curbing hazardous lane-weaving, where drivers frequently change lanes at high speeds. Between February 27 and May 31 of the previous year, authorities recorded 47,380 such incidents. In contrast, the same period this year saw only 3,306 cases, marking an impressive 93% decline. This significant drop is largely credited to the enhanced penalties and increased road inspections implemented nationwide.
The crackdown has had a positive impact on several other categories of traffic violations as well. Offenses related to tachograph records, which track commercial vehicle driving and rest times, decreased by 80.2%. Additionally, there was a 55.1% reduction in speeding violations. Compliance with police stop orders improved, with non-compliance cases falling by 52.4%, while helmet-related infractions reduced by 36.4%, and instances of driving without a valid license dropped by 33.7%.
Authorities also reported declines in other dangerous behaviors, including wrong-way driving, traffic sign violations, red-light offenses, drunk driving, and seat belt violations. The government has emphasized that these reforms are part of a broader strategy to enhance road safety, reduce accidents, and better protect lives and property across Türkiye.