Driver Loses Appeal to Reduce Traffic Ticket Under New Law

A driver's appeal to reduce a NIS 1,200 traffic fine to NIS 100, based on a new law, has been rejected by the Central District Court in Lod. The driver was caught using a mobile phone while driving in Rishon Lezion on April 3, 2024. In April 2025, the parties reached a plea deal where the charge was reduced to not holding the steering wheel with both hands, and the driver agreed to a NIS 1,200 fine.

On February 8, 2026, a new law on administrative traffic violations took effect, reclassifying minor traffic offenses and setting a NIS 100 fine for not holding the steering wheel with both hands. The driver argued that under Section 5(b) of the Penal Law, a lighter penalty imposed by a new law should apply, even to offenses committed before its enactment.

The State contended that the new law did not alter the fine agreed upon in the plea deal and that any potential reduction would be an administrative matter, not requiring a reopening of the court case. The District Court acknowledged that Section 5(b) could apply to cases where the imposed penalty is harsher than the new law's penalty.

However, the court ultimately ruled that Section 48(a) of the new law, a transitional provision, explicitly states that the law does not apply to offenses committed before its effective date, meaning the previous regulations and penalties remain in force. The court also noted that the NIS 1,200 fine was part of a plea agreement that included a reduced charge, and reducing only the fine would constitute an intervention in a concluded case. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and the original fine stands.