Brig. Gen. Muhammad Al-Qahtani, director of Traffic Police Department in Jeddah, said the campaign, which has been launched a few days before school exams end, is part of a long-term strategy to cut down on deaths on the city’s roads.

“Our aim is to create a sense of responsibility among the wider community and help nurture relationships between the police and the general public that would lead to greater awareness about the need to drive better,” said Al-Qahtani.

“There will be a large police presence at major intersections across the city. We’ve selected these locations carefully to ensure they are suitable to what the campaign aims to achieve. We’ve selected places where a high number of traffic violations have been registered,” he added.

Al-Qahtani said the campaign is primarily concerned with those violations that have a direct impact on public safety. “The campaign’s main concern is to drive properly. We will focus on vehicle safety, especially tires, in addition to irresponsible driving such as drivers not paying attention, ignoring traffic signs and driving when tired,” he added.

He also confirmed that the campaign’s second concern is focusing on introducing the Saher program in Jeddah.

“People will be able to learn about digital cameras which will take pictures of vehicles’ registration plates and drivers’ faces, and register different violations. These cameras will also be able to identify stolen cars and pinpoint a vehicle’s exact location,” said Al-Qahtani.

“Our plan is to make citizens aware of this highly sophisticated electronic system that is designed to improve the movement of traffic automatically,” he added.

The campaign will also encourage people to update their contact details through the Ministry of Interior’s website (www.moi.gov.sa) or at the traffic police offices.

“Our objective in the first phase is to decrease the number of violations such as incidents of drivers running red lights, using their mobile phones not wearing seat belts. The campaign’s final phase will coincide with the beginning of Eid Al-Fitr and will focus on common driving violations during the holiday period,” said Al-Qahtani.