DAMMAM, 14 August 2003 — The Traffic Department in the Eastern Province is cracking down on young joyriders who have caused several accidents and pose a constant threat to drivers and pedestrians.
On Tuesday an expatriate worker was seriously injured when he was hit by a joyrider who was performing acrobatics with his car in Dammam. The expatriate worker was immediately rushed to the hospital and the young Saudi arrested.
According to the Dammam Traffic Police the phenomenon peaks during the summer vacations, when young Saudis, free after their examinations, get into their cars and go for adventure rides around the city.
The screeching of tires is a common sound at night around the Corniche in Dammam and Alkhobar. The joyriders sometimes race their cars the wrong way up one-way streets. There have been many accidents in the past and in many cases the drivers themselves have been injured or killed.
The traffic department is keeping a close vigil at all spots which are popular with joyriders. “We will be tough on them. They pose a serious threat to the safety of citizens and themselves,” said a traffic official in Alkhobar.
Local insurance companies confirm that there has been an increase in claims against accidents due to joyriding. “We have been settling more than two dozen claims every season,” said the manager of an insurance company in Alkhobar.
