Israel is preparing to introduce one of the toughest distracted-driving crackdowns in its history, after Transportation Minister Miri Regev announced that police will begin issuing immediate NIS 10,000 ($3,000) fines to drivers caught using their phones on the road—without a court hearing or appeal process in between.

Speaking Monday today at a transportation, energy, and infrastructure conference hosted by Yediot Ahronoth, Regev directly linked the dramatic measure to a surge in deadly crashes.

More than 400 people have been killed on Israeli roads so far this year, one of the worst tallies in recent memory.

Regev said the government would not stand by while distracted driving—particularly texting behind the wheel—continues to fuel the nationwide spike in fatalities.

“We will go so far as to confiscate the vehicle,” Regev said, according to Ynet. “If they catch a person texting, they will immediately give him an NIS 10,000 fine the first time. He won’t go to court.”

Current enforcement practices typically involve a far lower fine, points on a driver’s license, and the option—and often the expectation—of contesting the ticket in court.

Under Regev’s plan, police will seize the driver’s vehicle outright after a second violaiton.

Regev said the punitive approach is necessary, arguing that only severe and highly visible penalties will deter drivers from engaging in behavior that has become pervasive across Israel’s roadway.

The minister did not provide a specific timeline for when the new enforcement regime will begin, but made clear she expects police to adopt the policy swiftly.

The announcement immediately sparked debate among road-safety advocates, legal experts, and motorists, many of whom agree that phone use while driving is rampant and deadly—but question whether the sweeping punishments will withstand legal scrutiny or prove enforceable at scale.

Regev, however, insisted the situation leaves no room for leniency.

“There is no reason someone should lose their life,” she said, “because another driver couldn’t wait to send a message.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)