Our society is full of killers whose numbers may prove difficult to count. This however should not prevent one from citing the most notorious killers that nobody seems able to stop.
Crimes continue to be committed but the criminals remain at large. The crimes are committed in broad daylight and under the very noses of officials and ordinary individuals and yet there seems to be no end to the suffering.
Road accidents are the number one killer in this country. Women and children take the brunt of these accidents.
Students and female teachers have to travel long distances every day at the risk of being hurt. Just last week newspapers reported an accident in which six female students suffered injuries when the microbus in which they were traveling home from their college overturned.
That same day, three road accidents were reported in Taif area where many have lost their lives or have been injured.
What makes our roads even more dangerous are the stray camels roaming the desert and crossing highways resulting in tragic accidents. A car accident involving a camel is usually fatal.
In cities that lack sewage networks, sewage tanks line the streets in residential areas with many left uncovered resulting in tragic accidents involving children. Public swimming pools in hotels and recreation centers left unattended have claimed many lives, mostly among children.
Poor electric circuitry in homes and public buildings, especially schools, has reportedly been responsible for many fires.
Medical mistakes continue to take place in our hospitals by doctors who earned their degrees and licenses by dubious means practice the profession.
Now, a new killer has joined the list. A few days ago three young girls were killed at a recreation facility in Alkhobar while enjoying a train ride. One of the carts fell to the ground crushing the three girls to death. The accident shocked the city and Eastern Province Governor Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd offered condolences to the families of the girls.
Have the hundreds of recreation centers found all over the country adequate safety procedures and could the terrible accident that took place in Alkhobar be repeated in other places thus ushering in yet another killer?
