Speaking to reporters in Riyadh, he said 3,000 policemen and 230 senior officers would take part in the first phase of the program that aims at reducing the rate of road accidents in the Kingdom.

He said the program would be first implemented at 318 traffic points in Riyadh. “These 318 points in Riyadh were selected for their heavy traffic and their large number of traffic violations.”

He said the electronic “Saher” system would be implemented on speeding drivers as well as on those who jump red lights. The Saher system uses digital cameras to monitor traffic violations.

The violator is caught on camera and his number plate recorded, the spokesman said, adding that the database operation room would, in no time, provide the duty officer with the necessary information about the vehicle’s owner who could then be penalized.

Col. Abdul Rahman Al-Mugbel, director of traffic in Riyadh, highlighted the efficiency of the Saher system in monitoring traffic violations. “It will play a big role in improving road safety,” he added.

Last year, the Shoura Council endorsed the national executive plan for traffic safety and called for the strict application of traffic regulations and the introduction of metro rail systems in major cities as a means of reducing the number of traffic accidents.

Saudi Arabia has one of the world’s highest road accident rates. In 2008, a total of 485,931 accidents took place in the country, killing 6,458 people and injuring 36,486. Speeding and disregard for safety regulations were cited as the main causes of accidents.

The new traffic plan calls for strict and just enforcement of traffic regulations on all drivers, constructing modern roads all over the Kingdom according to recognized safety standards, providing alternative means of transport, such as trains between provinces and metros in cities, and ensuring traffic safety.

Ali Al-Ghamdi, former chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee and professor of traffic and transport engineering at King Saud University, estimated the annual cost of road accidents at about SR26 billion, which is equal to four percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

He said about one-third of all beds in government hospitals are occupied by accident victims.