Oman- OAA sees 100% rise in International Driving Permits

Date

8/24/2016 7:24:48 AM

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat-

The Oman Automobile Association (OAA) has reported near 100 per cent increase in the issuance of International Driving Permits (IDP). However, one snag has been the refusal of authorities in Austria to recognise them.

An OAA official attributed the rise in demand for IDPs to awareness raising campaigns and increased footfall at the OAA premises. Suleiman al Rawahi, general manager and board member of OAA, said, 'In the last four years we almost reached 100 per cent growth in terms of the numbers of IDPs issued. We're expecting further annual increase of up to ten per cent.'

He added, 'We began to actively promote IDPs with corporate clients and at exhibitions in 2012. The reopening of the go-kart facility and the organisation of various events at OAA have increased our annual footfall to between 500,000 to 600,000, which also helps bring attention to IDPs.'

Some Omani families were reportedly fined and ordered to disembark from their rented vehicles in Austria last month as their driving licences did not entitle them to drive in the Central European country.

'We came to know that Austria doesn't recognise IDPs issued from Oman only in June. We immediately placed a notice at OAA informing all applicants of the issue. Oman along with a few other countries are required to sign a 'Mobility Treaty' in order to resolve this issue. We have reported the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and we trust it will be resolved in the near future,' Rawahi said.

He also said there is no truth in rumours that IDPs issued by OAA are not valid in Europe. 'They are 100 per cent valid all over the world. The only exception is Austria for the time being. The documents we issue have controlled serial numbers and are accounted by the FIA [Federation Internationale de l'Automobile] and the AIT [Alliance Internationale de Tourisme].'

FIA is the world governing body of motor sport while the AIT is an international federation of motoring organisations created to represent the interests of national automobile associations and touring clubs. OAA is affiliated to both the bodies.

Rawahi added, 'While getting a car on rent abroad can be sometimes possible without an IDP, it is advisable to carry one for insurance reasons, should something go wrong. We also like to advise IDP holders to travel with both their IDPs and their Omani driving licences, as car rental companies and authorities abroad may ask for both.'

Speaking on this issue, Austrian economic and commercial counsellor in Muscat, Gerhard Lackner, said, 'Austrian Automobile, Bike and Touring Association (OEAMTC) has informed us, that holders of foreign driving permits are entitled to drive a vehicle in Austria if the issuing country is a signatory to one of the relevant international conventions governing international road traffic [e g United Nations convention on road traffic].'

He added, 'The Sultanate of Oman is not a signatory to those treaties and that is why Austrian authorities would not be in a position to accept Omani drivers' licences. A similar situation occurred with Saudi Arabian citizens' permits earlier this year. Saudi Arabia then signed the United Nations convention on road traffic and immediately Austrian authorities started accepting Saudi driving licences and were instructed to stop any pending legal procedures against Saudi licence holders.'

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