Driver Who Drove Against Traffic Now a Suspect, Here's the Punishment
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Hafiz Mahendra (25), the driver of a Toyota Calya who drove against traffic and collided with several vehicles in Gunung Sahari, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday (25/2/2026) afternoon, has been officially named a suspect.
Police assessed that his actions endangered other road users and caused a traffic accident.
“Regarding the accident itself, the person concerned has been named a suspect,” said the Director of Traffic at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Commissioner Pol Komaruddin, to reporters on Thursday (26/2/2026).
In paragraph (1), the perpetrator who drives in a manner that endangers the safety of other road users faces a maximum prison sentence of one year or a maximum fine of IDR 3 million.
The penalty increases in paragraph (2) to a maximum prison sentence of two years or a maximum fine of IDR 4 million if it causes material losses.
“We are conducting a deeper investigation into the alleged perpetrator, given that his actions caused an accident, resulting in material losses and injuries,” said Komaruddin.
The Founder of Jakarta Defensive Driving Consulting (JDDC), Jusri Pulubuhu, explained that evasive actions are often triggered by the mental pressure that arises when a person faces law enforcement officers.
“This is a form of psychological intimidation towards him, which makes him take evasive action and not want to interact with the police,” said Jusri to Kompas.com on Thursday (26/2/2026).
He explained that the fear usually does not only come from the traffic violation committed at that time. The driver may be carrying other mistakes or have a previous background of problems, so he chooses to avoid interacting with officers.
“Moreover, the level of fault they carry is not just about documents. There could be other mistakes that are not related to traffic,” said Jusri.
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