In a marked departure from traditional deterrents, transport authorities are set to impose a compulsory rehabilitation program for drivers whose licenses are suspended due to serious traffic violations. If successfully implemented, the directive would make driver re-education a condition for reinstatement, shifting road safety enforcement from a punitive to a corrective approach.

Suspended drivers will be barred from operating any vehicle until they complete a mandatory 14-hour rehabilitation program, attending sessions that are two hours each day, over the course of a full week. To regain their driving privileges, they also have to pass a post-training assessment. The entire cost of the training will be borne by the driver, reinforcing personal responsibility for their actions.

The measure is part of a broader push by officials of the Road Safety & Insurance Fund Service to reduce accidents by addressing reckless driving through structured re-education, a departure from relying solely on monetary fines that officials acknowledge have failed as deterrents.

"So far, monetary penalties have done little to correct reckless behaviour," said Yohannes Lemma, executive director of the Fund. "The training is not only disciplinary. It's rehabilitative."

The directive is based on the amended Road Transport Traffic Control Regulation issued by the Council of Ministers in August last year. The regulation identifies specific offences and their corresponding penalties. Causing bodily harm attracts 14 demerit points, resulting in a six-month suspension. Serious bodily injury or a fatality carries 17 demerit points and triggers a one-year suspension. The most severe violation, causing the deaths of two or more individuals, incurs 21 demerit points and leads to a suspension of one year and six months.

According to Yohannes, the new curriculum targets psychological and behavioural transformation, addressing critical areas such as speeding and negligence, which are major contributors to fatal crashes.

The training will include understanding the conditions and causes of road accidents, learning prevention strategies, and exploring both the physical and psychological aspects of driving safely. Modules on safe highway usage, emergency first aid, and basic traffic laws are also incorporated. Drivers will be required to present documented proof of suspension and completed training at accredited centres to regain their licenses.

Vehicle associations and vehicle owners will also bear new responsibilities. Owners are mandated to verify drivers' records, ensuring that employees have no unresolved suspensions. Associations should monitor their drivers' compliance, coordinate retraining, and provide administrative support as needed. Yet, many drivers are pushing back, arguing the directive unfairly burdens drivers and associations.

"We're being punished from every angle," said Nuredin Ditamo, chairman of Blen Taxi Owners Association.

He described the directive as "repeated, humiliating" and criticised the requirement, claiming it treats professional drivers like delinquents. According to Nuredin, associations often know the vehicle owners, not individual drivers, which complicates compliance enforcement.

Abebaw Kassa, chairman of the 500-member Tsehay Taxi Owners Association, echoed the frustrations.

"I don't even know my demerit points," he said. "Broader educational efforts, rather than costly punitive measures, would be a better solution."