Driver from Živinice "racked up" 347 fines, or 50,000 KM in translation

Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina received around 350,000 traffic violations in the first eight months of 2014, which is almost 200,000 less than in the same period last year, writes the BiH news agency Patria (NAP), confirmed by the Agency for Identification Documents, Records and Data Exchange (IDDEEA).

The total value of traffic violations committed by citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina from January to August 2014 amounts to 21 million KM, or about 11 million KM less than last year in the same period.

The number of traffic violations issued in Bosnia and Herzegovina has decreased, but the state still has problems collecting money for issued traffic violation notices. Although a law was passed a few years ago stating that citizens with unpaid traffic fines cannot re-register their vehicle, extend their driver's license, participate in tenders, etc., the number of unpaid fines on this basis is still high and their value amounts to 96 million KM.

IDDEEA states that the biggest debtors for issued traffic violations come from Živinice, Sokolac, and the Sarajevo municipality of Centar.

Earlier, IDDEEA confirmed that the absolute record holder for the number of traffic violations as of 2013 was a man from the Živinice area, who owes the state a record 48,177 convertible marks for unpaid fines. This man has so far "racked up" a total of 347 fines, of which as many as 314 times he was fined for driving before passing his driving test, but also for other violations he committed, such as driving an unregistered vehicle, driving under the influence of alcohol, and disregarding traffic regulations.

A similar case was recorded in Sokolac, where the RS police have so far issued 204 fines to one man for various traffic violations. As of 2013, that person owes the state a total of 32,786 KM for traffic violations that he has not paid.

Experts hope that the amount of debt to the state for unpaid traffic violations could be significantly reduced, at least the debt coming from the Federation of BiH, after the new federal law is applied, which provides for a 50 percent cheaper fine if it is paid within eight days of the violation being issued. This law will soon come into effect in FBiH, pending the procedure that the Agency for Identification Documents, Records and Data Exchange still needs to carry out, writes NAP.