New Traffic Regulation: Reckless Driving Could Cost You Your License

New regulations have been introduced to improve traffic safety. The rules for candidate drivers have been tightened, and those who fail to comply may have their licenses revoked permanently. The new omnibus law submitted to the TBMM introduces a special tracking system for candidate drivers. Drivers who engage in drift, cut off other vehicles, or fail to yield to emergency vehicles may have their licenses permanently revoked. According to the regulation, between 2017 and June 17, 2026, a total of 161,347 candidate drivers had their licenses revoked. The most common reason for revocation was driving under the influence of alcohol, narcotics, or stimulants. During this period, 123,072 candidate drivers had their licenses taken away. The penalties for candidate drivers have intensified in recent years. The total number of revoked licenses reached 31,978 last year, the highest level in the period. Under the current system, drivers who engage in reckless behavior such as drift, cutting off other vehicles, or failing to yield to emergency vehicles may have their licenses temporarily suspended. The new regulation aims to make these penalties more deterrent and to revoke the licenses of candidate drivers who commit such offenses. There are currently 38,907,247 licensed drivers in Turkey, with 3,402,075 of them being candidate drivers. Candidate drivers account for 8.7% of all licensed drivers.