13 replies to this topic

[moomog]

If a yabanci is caught for drunk driving ,has no licence,no ins and no tax . & is involved in a accident .I have been told when they go to court they could be given 2 years in prison is this correct???

[Cukurbagli]

I should think anyone doing that could get two years. Were you that foreigner?

[aine]

What only two years? Anyone behaving with such disregard for others safety and wellbeing deserves all they get.

[KKW]

2 years is a bargain.

[REDDERS]

Traffic Violations & Fines
>
> Effective from January 1, 2012 the traffic fines are increased by 10.2%:
>
> Disregard red light: 152 YTL
> Drunk driving for the first time (over 0.50 promil): 590 TL
> Drunk driving for the second time: 739 TL
> Drunk driving for the third time: 1185 TL
> Not to register the vehicle within one month after purchasing: 152 TL
> Not carrying the vehicle registration document, broken lights, vehicle
> inspection violation: 72 TL
> Driving without having a driving license: 290 TL
> Not carrying the driving license or avoiding showing the license when
> requested: 152 TL
> %10-30 over the speed limit: 152 TL
> %30 and more, over the speed limit: 290 TL
> Not obeying parking ban, not having traffic insurance, playing music with
> high volume: 72 TL
> Parking at areas reserved for disabled: 145 TL
> Driving permanently on the left line: 210 TL
> Smoking in public transportation vehicles: 75 TL
> Carrying devices pre-locating the radar: 380 TL
> Using cell phone while driving: 72 TL
> Not using safety belt: 72 TL

[moomog]

Actually no I was not that person . I am enquiring after a conversation overheard in a BAR.!!!The conversation implied that a yabanci was treated worse than a Turk .!!

[sunny]

I personally think it unlikely that a foreigner would be treated worse than a Turk but it would depend very much on whether anyone was injured in the accident and who the foreigner was, ie a 'respectable' person (in the eyes of the police) or a yobbo.

[moomog]

Thanks for that ,also if you have a court case pending in Turkey are you allowed to leave the country if there have been previous plans made to do so, as long as you are back to attend the case ?Also if you do not come back are you then banned from entering Turkey at a later date . Incidentally as stated before I am not refering to myself in these questions .!!

[Vic801]

If you are cited as witness you have to appear in court or submit a letter to the court showing convincing evidence as to why this is not possible (I don't think previously arranged holiday plans work as an excuse). If you are the plaintiff or the defendant, your lawyer can represent you. In fact you (or your friend) will have signed a document at the beginning of your case agreeing to your lawyer representing you in court.

Warning, if are a plaintiff and you are not present and your lawyer does not turn up and does not submit a letter of excuse prior to the hearing, your case is thrown out and the defendant wins. So make sure you can trust your lawyer to turn up on the day.

As for leaving the country, all depends on circumstances and your lawyer will be able to explain that to you. The only reasons why you could be stopped from leaving the country would be a court order being placed on you for non-payment of debts or your being wanted for criminal misdeeds. The debt would have to be considerable i.e. over the 150 000 TL mark. (1998 Supreme Court ruling legislated that it was illegal to prevent foreigners leaving Turkey on the basis of bad debt unless there was a search warrant for criminal affairs or a court order issued).

[Abi]

I would think if the person didn't appear on the specified date and didn't have a lawyer to represent them in court that they would put out a warrant for their arrest. That would mean the next time they entered Turkey they would be arrested.

Not sure if there would be a ban or, not it depends on what the outcome of the court case is. Was anybody in the other vehicle injured? I'm also not sure whether that person would be able to get a Residence Permit as if the case was proved against them they would then have a criminal record.

I hope at some point in the future you will let us know how this person got on.

[moomog]

Thanks everyone for your replies. As far as I know both parties involved suffered cuts and scratches and both were taken to hospital one party was x rayed .!!!
I have told them they need to seek the advice of a solicitor. Apparently the Turkish person is also being charged with 2 of the same charges as the English person ,

[Abi]

I agree that the person needs advice from a solicitor, so hope they listen to you. If they really lucky they will probably just get a huge fine as nobody was seriously injured,

[moomog]

Thank you once again . I will let you know the outcome .!!
The court case is not until the end of June so a lot of things to be thought about in the interim .!!!

[dande]

Many thanks for the Traffic Violations and Fines list, REDDERS. Very interesting.

I've just seen a driver travelling 20% over the speed limit, playing loud music, smoking, using a mobile 'phone, and not wearing a seat belt. Hope he realises that if the police spot him he'll be expected to pay fines totalling 421 TL!!

Oh, and he was driving permanently in the left lane. Another 210 TL!