I still don’t understand why the officials of the traffic department choose the holy month of Ramadan whenever they want to introduce a new regulation. A few years ago the department decided to introduce a new safety system which punishes violators depending on the number of black marks on their record and it picked Ramadan for the launch.
The holy month during which Muslims observe a dawn-to-dusk fast was also chosen for introducing mandatory seat belt use. Now with the fasting month due in only a few days, the department has decided once again to use Ramadan to introduce something new — this time, a mandatory vehicle insurance system being introduced for the first time in the Kingdom.
Ramadan is usually associated with heavy traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, and this should be taken into account when introducing new regulations that directly affect people’s lives. There is not a single good reason for justifying this particular time of year to adopt new traffic laws and regulations. If there are any hidden justifications known only to the decision-makers, I ask that we please be told what they are.
Ramadan has nothing at all to do with the beginning of the fiscal year or the announcement of the state budget so such a move is not justified by financial considerations. The new Hijri year does not begin in Ramadan nor do the school holidays when the department may find some justification in introducing new systems.
Instead, the traffic department seems bent on choosing Ramadan of all the months of the year to introduce new rules. Now would someone please give us an explanation why such things must be done at this time of year?
