ALKHOBAR: More than 100,000 traffic accidents take place annually in the Eastern Province leading to tremendous social and economic losses, revealed Sultan Al-Zahrani, secretary-general of the Committee for Traffic Safety in the Eastern Province.

He called for greater collective efforts between members of society and local and government organizations to work on limiting these accidents and ensuring safety and protection for all.

He said the Eastern Province’s Best Driver Award has expanded this year to include individuals for the first time.

The other two branches of the award include government and civil organizations with more than 50 vehicles, as well as school and university transportation operators. The awards are based on the number of violations and traffic accidents reported.

According to Al-Zahrani, the award creates a spirit of healthy competition and is one of the most important incentives to encourage drivers to abide by the rules and traffic regulations and contribute to the reduction of road accidents.

He said the vision of the award is to build a generation that understands the importance of committing to traffic rules by encouraging drivers to set a positive example for the community through becoming more efficient and safe drivers that comply with traffic speed limits and wear safety belts at all times.

Individuals registered on the award’s website will be narrowed down based on not having any traffic violations or accidents reported for an entire year, as per the traffic points systems under Article 76 of the traffic regulations.

They must provide proof of a valid driver’s license, vehicle registration and insurance, periodic examinations, and proof of no damage to the vehicle due to the driver’s own wrongdoing.

The second round of selection will take place through a drawing followed by a visual exam to measure traffic rules awareness, and finally a practical exam at a driving school.