The drivers were detained for speeding and concealing their number plates to avoid being caught by radars.

It is expected a court decision will be issued against these Saudi drivers some time in August.

They could be fined up to SR25,000 and their cars confiscated permanently. The Saudi drivers said the UAE authorities told them that they had changed the exterior of their cars, which is a violation of rules in the UAE.

There is a huge difference in the amount of fines imposed for traffic violations in the Kingdom and the UAE. The current traffic law issued in 1428H (2007) has 85 violations that drivers can be penalized for.

The highest traffic fine imposed for running a red signal is SR900, an offense that can attract a SR6,000 penalty in other countries.

There are people who try to trick the Saher system by concealing the number plate or some of the numbers. This is a clear indication that the driver intends to commit a traffic violation. The huge effort undertaken by the traffic department and security forces should be accompanied by stiff punishments to stop people trying to evade the system.

Undercover units from the traffic department stopped a number of cars in the Kingdom for driving without number plates. Some drivers had tried to conceal the number plates or at least part of them.

Some have altered the exterior of the car to make it difficult for officers to identify them. The drivers were fined a maximum of SR900 and the vehicles seized.

We do not want stiffer punishments so that Saudi Arabia is on a par with other countries. We want stiffer punishments because these violations that often affect innocent people should be ended.

Traffic accidents are one of the top killers, especially in the Arab world. They are a social and economic burden.

The losses from traffic accidents are estimated at SR13 billion a year, not counting the fatalities or injuries caused by them.