RIYADH, 21 March 2004 — Traffic accidents in the Kingdom have reached alarming proportions. According to Traffic Department statistics, the number of accidents in the Kingdom last year was 268,392.
Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper, a sister publication of Arab News, conducted a study and found two basic reasons for accidents.
The first, behind 84 percent of traffic accidents, is the driver’s behavior when he gets behind the wheel. Drivers are reckless and, if they are aware of rules and regulations, choose not to follow them. High speed is also a problem with many drivers claiming to be unaware of speed limits.
The second is related to defects in road design. This is an important cause of traffic accidents. For example, there are depressions in roads where water collects and there is no system to drain it away. There are roads with no way for cars to exit in the event of an emergency. Some roads are asphalted and others are not. Some roads are well-maintained but most are not.
Roundabouts are also a problem in many streets. There are many small gaps in roadways which cause accidents when cars travel over them. An absence of sidewalks and too many crossroads with no signs indicating which vehicle has priority cause a number of accidents. All of these contribute to the high number of traffic accidents.
According to statistics, traffic accidents consume from two to four percent of the national income. Economic losses from accidents in the Kingdom are estimated at SR21 billion annually.
Some 300,000 people are injured every year and there are 21 deaths for every 100,000 injuries. Thirty percent of hospital beds are occupied by victims of traffic accidents.
