Police record 300 traffic violations as Tawjihi car processions flood streets

AMMAN — As soon as the results of the General Secondary Certificate Examination’s (Tawjihi) winter session were announced on Wednesday, many students and parents took to the streets to celebrate.

Car processions exacerbated the traffic congestion already witnessed around Jordan due to the weather conditions, the Public Security Department (PSD) media centre said. 

PSD dealt with a total of 300 traffic violations around the Kingdom after the Tawjihi results were announced, according to a statement sent to The Jordan Times. 

Of the 300 violations, 270 were recorded in the capital, while PSD personnel also caught one person shooting in the air near a school. 

Celebratory gunfire is a common practice to celebrate Tawjihi results.

Social media users in Jordan had mixed feelings about students’ celebrations, with some criticising this trend and others arguing that people should be allowed to celebrate “a once in a lifetime” event.

Sara. ‏(@eudaimonial) said on Twitter: “apart from my sadness [because] of the shooting [death of three people in the US’ North Carolina] I’m really happy and proud of y’all Tawjihi cuties.”

Ayah ‏(@ttheaqueen) said she was happy after hearing that her cousin got a high Tawjihi score.

“I was having the worst day ever but then I heard that my cousin got a 93 in Tawjihi, I’m so happy for him,” she tweeted in all caps. 

Layla Manasra Um Eyad said people have the right to celebrate, but in a civilised manner.

“This is really carelessness. We did not say that you do not have to celebrate, but do it in reasonable ways that do not hurt people around you. Congratulations for them,” she wrote on Facebook.

Murad Zayadeen, another Facebook user, said if violators are punished they would refrain from such actions. 

“Write them traffic tickets; they will stop doing this,” he wrote. 

Hussam Sawalha posted on Facebook that some people go out and celebrate when they have barely passed.

“You discover he scored 60 per cent and believes that he achieved something! Anyway congratulations for people who passed,” he commented on Facebook.