Throwing a Tea Cup Out Your Car Window Could Cost You EGP 15,000 and Your License

A fine of up to EGP 15,000 and a full year without a driving license. That is the penalty awaiting any driver who tosses an empty tea cup or soda can out of a car window on an Egyptian road, under Article 72 bis (2) of the Traffic Law. The careless act millions perform without a second thought carries legal consequences far harsher than most motorists realize.

Article 72 Bis (2): The Full Penalty in Black and White

The law states that, without prejudice to any stricter penalty in another law, a fine of no less than EGP 5,000 and no more than EGP 15,000 shall apply to any driver who causes road pollution by throwing waste, construction debris, or any other objects onto the roadway. The legislation draws no distinction between a small coffee cup and a pile of rubble — both fall under the definition of road pollution. That financial penalty alone should deter any driver from repeating the behavior, yet the law doesn't stop at the fine.

Did you know that repeating the offense doubles the fine? Yes, the same article stipulates that the fine doubles if the same violation is committed within six months. Commit it a third time within a year. Your driving license is suspended for twelve full months. Three discarded coffee cups in one year could mean an entire year without driving. The arithmetic is blunt, and the penalties escalate without leniency.

What About Heavy Smoke and Noisy Engines?

The article doesn't stop at littering from car windows. Driving a vehicle that emits loud noises, thick smoke, exhaust that fails environmental standards, or an offensive odor — all are violations under the same article. A load that scatters flammable materials, harms public health, or compromises road usability? Also covered. Failing to secure and cover cargo safely exposes the driver to the identical fine. The legislation treats the road as a collective responsibility, not as personal space for one individual.

Enforcement isn't left to chance. The General Traffic Department is intensifying its monitoring across highways and major arteries through an integrated traffic surveillance system that includes fixed and mobile radar units, alongside field campaigns carried out by traffic directorates to catch violations. The goal isn't revenue collection but reducing behaviors that put road users at risk. Cameras make no distinction between someone tossing a small cup and someone dumping large debris — both are in the crosshairs.

What This Means for Drivers in Egypt

The message is clear for anyone who treats a car window as a moving trash bin: the real cost of that impulse can reach EGP 15,000. Potentially a full year without a license. Knowing the traffic law isn't a luxury — it's a daily necessity. A driver who understands Article 72 bis (2) thinks twice before throwing anything out the window. Clean roads start with a simple personal decision, but the law ensures that decision isn't optional.