Speeding Minister's Viral Video Spurs Public Apology

Turkey's Transport Minister, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, faced social media backlash and a fine after sharing a video of himself driving at 225 km/h, nearly double the motorway's legal limit. He issued a public apology and shared the speeding ticket online. The incident highlights road safety issues in Turkey.

Turkey's Transport Minister, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, has become the center of a social media storm after posting a video revealing himself driving at a speed of 225 km/h. The footage, showing the minister speeding nearly twice the legal limit on a highway, caught significant public attention and criticism.

The video, accompanied by folk music and a speech by President Erdogan lauding the government's infrastructure, showcased Uraloglu zooming past other vehicles on the Ankara–Nigde motorway. Following the speedy revelation, traffic authorities penalized him with a 9,267 lira fine for the violation that occurred around 50 km from Ankara.

In response to widespread criticism, Uraloglu issued a public apology, posting an image of the speeding ticket on social media platform X, and stated, "Apologies to our nation." The incident comes amid heightened concerns about road safety in Turkey, where over 6,300 people lost their lives in road mishaps last year according to official data.

(With inputs from agencies.)