Congestion, chaos and checkpoints have Kabul's drivers and Traffic Police unhappy. A number of reports have people forced to pay fines and bribes to Traffic Police despite their proper paperwork. Meanwhile, Traffic Police report most drivers do not follow regulations, causing the capital's traffic to be so bad.
"Traffic [Police] cause us problems, they ask for a License and our cars' documents in every square, and when we show them, they make up an excuse about how your car is overloaded," truck driver Mohammad Amin told TOLOnews.
Kabul Traffic Police have reputed accusations of improper fines and bribery, explaining that most people aren't aware of the regulations for drivers and so they are in frequent violation.
However, checkpoints and fines are hardly the only issue plaguing traffic in the capital. General traffic patterns and driving etiquette are problems in and of themselves. Cars are often observed moving against traffic on one-way streets, ignoring traffic lights and driving recklessly fast.
Many blame government officials and wealthy businessmen for flouting traffic laws the most. Nevertheless, with virtually no signage, few traffic lights and no lane demarcation, it is hard to hold individual drivers or Traffic Officers entirely responsible for the unruly nature of driving in Kabul.
The disorder is not just a source of frustration and the occasional accident, however, it has also led to problems for priority vehicles like ambulances, which are often faced with major delays on their way to hospitals.
Kabul Traffic Police had their own complaints regarding the city's traffic trends.
"When a traffic accident occurs, the drivers move against the route and they make three or even four lines of vehicles in one road which is itself problematic," said Assadullah, the General Director of the Kabul Traffic Department.