Plenty bad, if this story from Saudi Gazette is in the least accurate—and I’ve no reason to suspect it is not! Over a two-day period, in just one province of Saudi Arabia, police found 30,000 traffic violations. The majority of these, I’m confident, did not involve a missing license plate.
30,000 traffic violations in 2 days
By Shabna AzizDAMMAM – An overwhelming 30,000 traffic violations were found by authorities within a short span of two days in Eastern Province. The violations were found after the authorities installed radars and surveillance cameras on highways as part of traffic department’s fight against increasing traffic accidents. The traffic department has also placed officers in disguise at crucial points to monitor traffic violators.
These safety measures were taken in order to reduce the number of accidents because traffic in Eastern Province has considerably increased during the holiday season as schools across the Kingdom have closed for more than a week after the mid-term exams last week. – SG
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February:27:2009 - 16:48
It is unbelievably bad. And it is 100% the fault of men!
February:27:2009 - 23:46
What? You mean those articles in the Saudi papers last year about how women caused all the accidents are incorrect??!!
March:02:2009 - 16:37
The standard way to drive in Saudi Arabia is to pretend that one is riding on a camel. On a camel, when more than one gets together they growl at each other until one steps aside. With Saudi drivers they just honk at each other until one gives way, if he does.
The worst driving I ever saw in KSA was on the evening before Ramadan started, six wrecks in Riyadh over a short distance, and really bad ones. A bit too much celebrating…
March:02:2009 - 18:41
I wouldn’t say the people on the roads in Saudi Arabia are “Saudi” with the under 14 year olds making 38% of the Saudi population and half of the adult population banned from driving. The official count of non-nationals is 20% of the population, many of whom were brought in solely to chauffer. It’s the mishmash of all these different people and lax regulations when it comes to issuing driving licenses.
March:02:2009 - 20:27
Man, they need to get some driver’s education classes!
March:02:2009 - 21:11
I recall that in the 80s, the outskirts of the major cities used to look like tank battle grounds. There would be cars, buses, and trucks, nearly all burnt out, shoved to the sides of the roads. That’s improved over the years, but driving in Saudi Arabia is not for the faint of heart. I’ve driven in close to 40 different countries and none is as hair raising as the Kingdom.
March:03:2009 - 01:40
It is true that not all the bad drivers are Saudi. It seems to be equal opportunity for bad driving here. But I’m not sure what an under 14 population has to do with it! Maybe the under 12′s aren’t driving. Supposedly one is supposed to be 18 and take driving lessons to get a license. There are ways around the 18, and it seems-from what I’ve heard they are stricter about the lessons as well. I’m not sure what the lessons entail however.
Then there’s just driving without a license altogether. I sometimes see boys driving all their sisters and mothers around. It’s sort of inevitable given the situation. There are certain places known for speeding however. Say Fri night from Abhur back into Jeddah. One of my kids commented people drive like it’s a video game. They should just ticket everyone. It’s a goldmine. Get them for that and littering.
March:03:2009 - 06:08
Stiff fines, equally distributed, might have an effect. Or, as in some of the Scandinavian countries, fines that go up according to your income… I recall reading of one wealthy driver whose speeding ticket cost him over $100,000.00, while it would have cost a laborer only around $200.00.
June:10:2010 - 04:38
I am a saudi .. driving here is like very bad you see car accidents all the time. drivers have no idea about rules at all, roads and streets in saudi araiba are the worst in the world it is full of holes must of the roads are closed and you have to see if there is another way to take to the place you wanna go.