Traffic Violations: Definition, Types, Articles, and Fines

Traffic violations are one of the problems that occur in major cities in Indonesia. They can take various forms. Starting from running a red light, not carrying important documents while driving, to driving in unauthorized lanes.

Traffic violations cause various negative impacts. One of the most common is traffic accidents.

Understanding the ins and outs of traffic violations has now become a necessity. Especially if you are someone who often navigates traffic and lives in a big city.

Fortunately, this article can help you with a number of discussions on traffic violations. Starting from the definition to the fines. The following are some of those discussions!

Definition of Traffic Violations

In simple terms, a traffic violation can be defined as a breach of the rules that apply in traffic, especially on the highway. In the realm of law, traffic violations are part of criminal law regulated by Law Number 14 of 1992.

Like other criminal law offenders, those who commit traffic violations will also receive immediate punishment from the authorities. In the context of traffic violations, the authorities referred to are none other than the police.

Types of Common Traffic Violations

Traffic violations do not have a single form or type. There are many types of this criminal act. Some of the most common include:

Driving on the Sidewalk

If you live in Jakarta, this type of traffic violation often occurs. Those who commit this traffic violation are usually impatient motorcyclists who want to break through the capital's traffic jam. The penalty for this violation is Rp 500 thousand or a maximum of two months in prison.

Motorcyclists Not Wearing Helmets

A helmet is a mandatory item that motorcyclists must wear. Besides complying with government regulations, wearing a helmet is also a form of self-protection for the motorcyclist.

However, in reality, many often neglect this. Many people casually ride motorcycles without wearing helmets. Even if they do wear one, it tends to be a non-SNI helmet or not up to standard. A fine of Rp 250 thousand or one month in prison is the punishment for those who commit this traffic violation.

Using a Mobile Phone While Driving

In addition to potentially causing traffic accidents, using a mobile phone while driving is also a violation of traffic rules. The penalty is Rp 750 thousand and/or three months in prison.

To avoid this punishment, it is better not to use a mobile phone while driving. If you must use a mobile phone for communication purposes, you can pull over first.

Not Turning on Headlights While Driving at Night

For the safety of drivers at night, drivers are required to turn on their vehicle's headlights. However, in reality, many do not do this. Whether due to forgetfulness or intentionally. A fine of Rp 250 thousand and/or one month in prison is the punishment for this traffic violation.

Violating Traffic Signal Devices (APILL)

This one is often found at various street corners. The form of this violation can vary. Whether it is running a red light or parking in a place marked with a no-parking symbol. A fine of Rp 500 thousand and/or two months in prison is the penalty.

Articles Related to Traffic Violations

Every criminal act certainly has a legal basis in the form of articles for the perpetrator. This also applies to traffic violations. There are several articles related to these criminal acts. Some of these articles are:

Articles 280 and 281

These two interrelated articles regulate the use of license plates and the ownership of a Driver's License (SIM). The use of license plates on private vehicles is mandatory. If not, the violator will be fined Rp 500 thousand and/or two months in prison.

A similar rule applies to the ownership of a SIM. Every driver must have and carry this identification. If not, the driver will face a penalty of Rp 1 million and/or four months in prison.

Article 284

This article must be known by motorcyclists who like to ride on sidewalks or bike lanes. In this article, motorcyclists are prohibited from crossing these two lanes. If they do, they will face a penalty of two months in prison and/or a fine of Rp 500 thousand.

Article 285

This article regulates drivers to complete their vehicle's equipment. Such as mirrors, headlights, horns, brake lights, and turn signals. A fine of Rp 250 thousand and/or one month in prison is the penalty for violators of this article.

Article 287

This one regulates many things. Two of them are the obligation not to violate APILL and the obligation to drive within reasonable speed limits. The penalty for this article is imprisonment of up to two months and/or a fine of up to Rp 500 thousand.

Article 310

This article also regulates many things related to traffic violations. So many that this article is divided into three paragraphs.

One of the things regulated by this article is traffic accidents that result in death or injury to others. The penalties for violating this article vary. One of them is a prison sentence of one year and/or a fine of up to Rp 2 million.

Fines for Traffic Violation Offenders

If you have read some of the previous discussions, you must already know the forms of fines for traffic violations. All fines for traffic violators are certainly in the form of monetary fines with varying amounts.

It depends on the severity of the traffic violation committed. At most, fines for traffic violators can reach Rp 24 million. This fine applies to traffic violators who intentionally take another person's life with their vehicle.

Monetary fines for traffic violators can be replaced with prison sentences. Or, they can also be accompanied by prison sentences. Therefore, it is not surprising that in laws or articles, there is always the word and/or between fines and prison sentences.

That is some important information about traffic violations. From definitions to fines for the offenders. Hopefully, it can broaden your knowledge and keep you from becoming a traffic violator.

Always be a good driver, regardless of what vehicle you have. Make sure not to violate existing regulations, so you can avoid fines or penalties that could burden your life. See you in the next article!

Author: Anggie Warsito