The campaign claimed that Saher would detect all traffic violations as well as contribute substantially to reducing the number of lives lost on our roads and protect our properties from being destroyed due to reckless driving and violations of traffic rules. The campaign also spread the message that Saher would make our roads and highways much safer and it would no longer be dangerous to venture out.

While Saher has been trialed, we have realized that it is nothing more than a mouse disguised as an elephant.

We have been told about the numerous positive features of this automatic traffic monitoring system. However, there is only really one substantial feature, where motorists are penalized once their vehicles are photographed violating speed limits. The owner would receive a mobile text message asking him to pay the fine within a certain period of time before it is doubled.

Saher brought no changes with regard to other traffic violations taking place on our roads. Even speed limit violations are still happening. Some reckless drivers know precisely the locations where Saher cameras have been installed.

They ignore speed limits while driving on roads where there is no Saher camera to detect them. One can notice these frightening cases of speeding and other violations that have been taking place on Madinah Road in Jeddah.

This electronic system, introduced after spending over SR2 billion, brings only limited results. It can only catch those violating speed limits. Those who have implemented these regulations are interested only in collecting fines within the shortest period of time.

The violations taking place on our roads are not all speeding offenses. No doubt, it is the worst and most dangerous among such violations. This prompts me to ask a question.

I want to know whether this high cost electronic system can detect traffic violations other than speeding. How can we curb these violations that have inflicted great damage on our image? Who will catch such violators? Who will punish them?

We cannot ignore the gravity of several other traffic violations taking place on our roads. These include reckless changing of lanes, violation of traffic rules at signals and exit and entry points, moving dangerously into lanes leading to service roads, obstructing traffic flow by stopping in the middle of the road, driving against the direction of traffic, using mobile phones while driving and so on.

Some of these violations are new. All may cause road accidents to happen.

There are some drivers who change suddenly from the right lane to the left and vice versa. Others drive through pedestrian paths, and cut traffic signals. All these happen in front of traffic policemen who are more often than not in a position to take action against all such violators.

All these violations are taking place on a daily basis even after implementing the Saher system. This means that Saher has only a limited role in curbing such violations. It was contrary to what had been circulated earlier, that this system could detect all violations. Can Saher prevent all such violations? Was the awareness campaign exaggerated?

Here, I can put forward two suggestions. The first is to penalize violators who break the speed limit in such a way that they are deterred from committing the violation again.

These people enjoy speeding and are not at all bothered about paying a fine. This is because there is no doubling of the punishment in case of a repeat violation.

One has to pay the same fine for the first violation as well as for the 10th one. If the violators receive multiple fines in case they repeat an offense, it would have some effect on them and they may not ignore the rules regularly.

Secondly, Saher is covering only a small portion of traffic violations.

The entire behavior of a driver should be subjected to electronic monitoring, and all violations not normally detected by Saher should also be taken into account. This way, we can develop a culture of respect for traffic regulations without exception and sweep away all violations from our roads.