JEDDAH: The traffic directorate in Jeddah has appointed a private company to handle road accident cases in the city. The company will attend to accidents not involving major injuries, estimate the damages and clear the traffic obstruction caused by the vehicles involved, according to Col. Muhammad Al-Qahtani, director of the local traffic directorate.
The company will also notify insurance companies involved and help in settling the claims of the parties. The new system would be applicable only in the northern and western districts of Jeddah initially. The company’s vehicles with identification marks will patrol the city, Al-Madinah daily reported yesterday.
Meanwhile, a campaign has been launched throughout the Kingdom to inform citizens and foreigners about the new system to monitor traffic through digital cameras on roads. The new system will be implemented at the end of the six-month awareness campaign.
The campaign launched in Riyadh was subsequently taken to Alkhobar, Madinah and Makkah. It will be followed in Tabuk and Asir before it culminates in Jeddah.
Director General of Security Gen. Saeed ibn Abdullah Al-Qahtani lauded the new system and said it would accurately monitor all traffic violations, including speeding and running traffic lights.
“The Interior Ministry is keen to ensure the safety and security of citizens and residents and therefore it has been making strenuous efforts to save their lives and properties,” he said.
Director General of Administration Gen. Fahd ibn Saud Al-Bishr speaking about the adverse effects of traffic accidents said deaths and injuries resulting from such accidents caused immense problems for the families of the victims and had a negative impact on the society as a whole.
He said about nine million traffic violations are recorded annually causing material losses of more than SR13 billion.
“Every 90 minutes someone dies in a traffic accident and after every 15 minutes one person is injured,” he said.
Bishr underlined the importance of enforcing traffic rules and said the new system would help monitor traffic violations and hence save lives.
Director of traffic in Jeddah Col. Muhammad Al-Qahtani asked all residents of the city to update their data at the police department in order to avoid mistakes in the issuance of tickets for traffic violations.
