Traffic light fines baffle road users

The Jeddah Traffic Department has installed “Saher” traffic cameras on the city’s streets in a bid to curtail the number of traffic accidents that occur daily.
The cameras, which have been installed at various traffic light junctions, may catch drivers turning right at a red light.
Khursheed Alam, a motorist who has been driving in Jeddah for over 37 years, was fined SR500 when a Saher camera captured an image of his car turning right at a red light.
“I was surprised to receive an SMS with a fine. I went to the Traffic Department to complain about this because I was sure that I hadn’t crossed any traffic light. An officer told me that I was fined because I hadn’t stopped my car momentarily before turning right,” said Alam.
Another motorist, Hafz ur Rahman, also told Arab News that he was fined SR500 for turning right at a red light.
“I don’t take the risk anymore. I don’t turn right until the traffic light turns green,” he said.
Another motorist, Mohammed Al-Harbi, said that drivers have been turning right at red lights for years and that the traffic department should create a media awareness campaign informing motorists about changes in the rules.
“This huge fine is unjustified,” he said.
Another motorist, Abdul Wahab, said that such a rule can reduce bottlenecks and accidents, since many drivers fail to see cars coming from other directions as they turn right.
“In some countries, there are traffic rules that prohibit turning right or left at a red light. The same rules should be applied here,” said Abdul Wahab.
Zaid Al-Hamzi, a spokesperson for the Jeddah Traffic Department, said that motorists should stop at the traffic light for at least two seconds before turning right to avoid incurring fines.
Motorists have recently been observed refraining from turning right altogether at red lights that are monitored by Saher cameras.