19-Year-Old New Driver Caught Driving 201 km/h on Road 60 and Attempts to Flee

A 19-year-old new driver from the southern Bedouin community was caught driving at 201 km/h on Road 60, where the speed limit is 90 km/h. The incident occurred near midnight on August 19, 2026, during a traffic enforcement operation by the National Traffic Police and the Jeep Unit of the Ayarot station in the Negev. When police signaled him to stop, the driver attempted to flee and turned off his vehicle's lights to evade detection.

Police pursued the driver until he was stopped using spike strips. During the arrest, officers approached the vehicle with a pistol and flashlight. One officer was recorded telling the driver, "It's clear you're nervous. You drive and turn off the lights when you see a police car. You continue and stop here on the spikes." The driver was then handcuffed and detained on suspicion of reckless driving.

Following his arrest, the driver was taken for questioning at the Be'er Sheva police station and subsequently imprisoned. A hearing at the Be'er Sheva Magistrate's Court extended his detention until further notice. The police operation was part of a broader crackdown on speeding and attempts to evade law enforcement on Road 60.