“These cars are greatly responsible for the environmental pollution in our country,” it added.

According to the newspaper, out of 8.25 million cars in Saudi Arabia, only 1.7 million vehicles have passed the MVPI test. “This leaves six million cars freely roaming our streets polluting the environment and endangering our lives,” the daily wrote.

Quoting the management of the MVPI stations, the newspaper said the means of land transport consisting of sedan cars, mini-buses, buses and trucks were the primary source of air pollution.

They pointed out that combustion of vehicles in the Kingdom is three to four times higher than the quantity allowed for new cars by the Standards and Specifications Organization.

Quoting international studies, the newspaper said more than 22,000 children worldwide died of cancer caused by smoke emitted by automobiles. “These emissions also cause asthma, breathing difficulties and other diseases in children,” the study warned.

“It is not a civilized scene to see a smoking car in a country that gives utmost care to the environmental hygiene. Until recently, such scenes were not common in the Kingdom, which has a good record in strictly adhering to the traffic rules,” the newspaper said.

“The slackness of the traffic police to apply the rules and regulations concerning the MVPI test gave the green light to old cars to drive freely in our streets endangering our lives,” it said.