JEDDAH, 24 April — On behalf of Prince Muhammad ibn Naif, assistant interior minister for security affairs, Lt. Gen. Asaad Abdul Karim, director of Public Security, formally launched the second phase of a nationwide campaign for traffic safety.
In a speech on the occasion, the security chief emphasized the vital role of citizens in maintaining safety on roads particularly by informing security officials on any traffic or security violator. He said there were committees and agencies in place to take prompt action against violators.
“The citizen’s participation in this matter will help to make the campaign for traffic safety and security enlightenment a great success,” Lt. Gen. Abdul Karim said.
The campaign’s second phase, with the theme “Your Safety Our Motto”, will focus on speeding as a major cause of accidents. The campaign will also focus on the danger of driving under the influence of narcotics and other intoxicants.
The campaign aims to instill a sense of road safety in the public in addition to building a rapport between the public and security officials.
The carefully planned campaign will be closely monitored and analyzed as the results are collated. He also commended the officials and departments that participated in the first phase of the campaign.
Lt. Gen. Abdul Karim had said in an earlier statement that the first phase of the campaign was a great success resulting in an 8.6 percent drop in accident deaths and a 7 percent decrease in injuries. The campaign started last November by enforcing the seat belt rule.
The high number of traffic accidents in the Kingdom has prompted Saudi authorities to take stern steps to prevent traffic violations. Traffic accidents kill at least 3,000 people and injures more than 26,000 in the country annually. They also create an economic loss of more than SR7 billion.
