This is manifested by the fact that Saudi Arabia, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), has the single largest ratio of traffic deaths in the world.
The WHO statistics show there are 49 deaths caused by traffic accidents for every 100,000 people in the Kingdom. There were 484,805 traffic accidents in the Kingdom recorded in one year. If we multiply this figure by SR5,000 in cost for each accident, the amount will be over SR24 billion. According to the statistics, 6,142 people were killed and 34,605 injured as a result of traffic accidents — the main cause of death in the country.
Traffic accidents have become a nightmare for every family in the Kingdom, according to Dr. Marwan Zamzami, an orthopedics surgeon at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz City for Human Services.
I would like, on this occasion, to congratulate the Ministry of Interior and its staff at the traffic departments for their persistence and determination in implementing the Saher traffic monitoring system on all people with fairness and without disparity. This is the first traffic monitoring system that doesn't discriminate. It is a system that says to those who commit traffic violations that they are mistaken and must bear the responsibility of their wrongdoings because their actions harm others.
Many families have lost their breadwinners to traffic accidents. Many mothers have lost their children and the country has lost many of its young men and women. Expatriates and visitors have also become victims of lawbreakers who break speed limits and run through red lights. How many engineers, doctors and teachers who came here to contribute to our development went back to their homes in caskets dying from traffic accidents caused by reckless drivers?
We do not object to death because the death of a person is God's will. However, drivers must be careful so as not to cause death or injury to others. Caliph Omar (God be pleased with him) was traveling to Damascus from Madinah when he came to know about the spread of a plague in the region of what is modern-day Syria. He immediately returned to Madinah saying that we all flee from the destiny of God to the fate of God. So it is not against Islam to avoid accidents as much as possible, to avoid tossing care into the wind by saying ourselves, “If I die it is God's will.”
Saher has come under scrutiny and will continue to be criticized by many citizens and writers who will claim that they have not been given enough time to become accustomed to the system. The criticism will continue, but it will be foiled by the determination of the steadfastness and resilience of the traffic departments to go on with the Saher system.
I have no doubt that the car repair workshops, spare parts dealers, hospitals and the medical-supply shops will suffer from the drop in traffic accidents as a result of the Saher system, but Allah will compensate them for their losses.
I kindly request the ministries of interior and health as well as the traffic department to publish their statistics that will prove the effectiveness of the Saher system in reducing traffic accidents. They should show us how deaths and injuries have dwindled since Saher was introduced.
I consider Saher a part of human rights in the Kingdom. It is an integral part of the dignity of man and his respect to himself and to others.
What was going on in our country before the introduction of this system was the cheapest road to death. Those who died before Saher might ask us: Why did we die in the first place? The injured could also ask why they became crippled.
As a strong supporter of Saher system, I call for its continued implementation in all parts of the Kingdom. I also suggest the creation of a special public interest fund to provide the finances needed for the continuation of the system. I use this occasion to announce my donation of SR500,000 to this fund once it is established.
Critics of the system should weigh its benefits. I have no doubt that they will ultimately support it.
