The director of traffic in Madinah Col. Siraj Kamal complained that the recently-held “Gulf Traffic Week” had failed to achieve its goals. The week, according to him, was meant to help reduce the number of road accidents but, unfortunately, both their frequency and intensity were unchanged. The week is observed every year in all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.
I wonder if His Excellency the Colonel really thinks that Gulf Traffic Week would contribute to reducing the number of daily road accidents or help change the behavior of motorists. No one is really interested in a ceremonial event, like the Traffic Week, observed once a year and then quickly forgotten. I personally knew nothing about the week until I read the colonel’s comments. That was when I was introduced to the annual event. Even if I knew everything about the week, I can’t see anything that it offers apart from the street signs that no one seems to bother reading and the lectures and seminars which attract no audiences.
The colonel and all other traffic officials should realize that what would really reduce the accident rate would be measures that force motorists to cease their reckless driving and force them to respect the law. Drivers continue to violate the law because, when issued with tickets, they never pay the fines unless forced to. And then it is done only when they want to have paperwork done in a government office. Some wait years before paying the fine. Why should they rush to pay the fine as long as they can do it at their convenience and at a time of their own choosing?
In every other country in the world, a deadline is set for the payment of traffic fines. Motorists know very well that failure to pay on time is a further violation and that it, as well as the traffic violation, is punishable by law. Had we introduced a system that obliged drivers to pay their fines on time or face punishment, motorists who regularly run red lights, who speed and endanger others’ lives would think twice before breaking the law.
