The decision by Israel Police to end its warning policy appears to be based on statistical data, not just due to a shift in regulations. Earlier in the week, YWN-Israel reported the change in policy, one that permitted police stopping a driver for certain violations to check the police computer and a driver with a clean record would receive a ‘warning’ instead of an actual summons and points on his/her license. This included illegally operating a cellular telephone while driving.

Commander Yisrael Gibly, who heads the Israel Police Traffic Enforcement Division explains that after five years of the program, it has been documented that such a program simply does not do the trick for the Israeli driver. He explained that statistics prove a warning does not serve as a deterrent and most drivers who received a warning summons were later stopped and received summonses, and in most cases not just once but numerous times for the very same offence. As such, the decision was made to halt the program.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)