People are now happy that the Traffic Department has begun jailing traffic violators as part of its effort to protect the lives of drivers and reduce the number of accidents. Unfortunately, the cells for traffic offenders are generally sub-standard. For example, those in Hail lack the simplest amenities as do those in many other places. Large numbers of violators are often held in the cells where there is neither organization nor supervision.
The cells are small, about 24 square meters in area. The large iron door is locked and there is a small window which lets them communicate with visitors. The rooms are normally not clean and those locked inside are a range of people — all ages, workers, criminals, ordinary citizens and students. Why are these people so badly treated? They are not killers or dangerous criminals. Even criminals in general prisons receive respect and are in a place which affords them reasonable comfort and amenities. The traffic violators have not committed a serious crime or a felony; they have violated traffic laws. I exclude those who have run a red light since that offense is considered attempted murder. Traffic policemen are after speeders rather than those who run red lights. The majority of policemen are on highways watching for speeders instead of looking for violators in cities.
A man told me he went to see his son who had been arrested for a traffic violation and put in jail. The first thing he noticed was that the building guards were also the jail cell supervisors. Obviously then the guards cannot do both jobs as they should be done. How could this guarantee that a teenager jailed for a minor offense would not come out of jail with a worse attitude than when he went in? Why are traffic violators not jailed according to age? Is this punishment meant to educate or to make things worse? Why are no traffic instructions being given to violators when they are in jail? Why not assign officials to give seminars to educate the violators instead of simply holding them in cells? Why does the Traffic Department receive no assistance from social organizations in educating the violators? If some of these suggestions were followed, I am sure we would get better results.
