At least 21 people died and 123 were injured in 1,463 traffic accidents in Jazan during Ramadan, a report carried by the Saudi Press Agency said.

Col. Ahmed Qassadi, assistant director of traffic in Jazan, said his officers had recorded more than 14,000 traffic violations in the region during the month.

“We have arrested 67 people for committing serious traffic offenses,” Qassadi said.

He blamed speeding, running the red light, driving in the wrong direction and drifting for some of the deadly accidents in the region.

He called on road users to abide by traffic regulations for their own safety and for others.

“Traffic accidents eat away the country’s human and material resources,” the official said.

In the neighboring Asir region, two young Saudis died when a truck crashed into their car on Wednesday. The crash took place on Mahail Asir-Bariq Road, which has witnessed several accidents in recent months.

The two Saudis had recently graduated from King Khaled University in Abha. The accident took place close to the new university building when the truck driver, who had lost control, hit their vehicle.

The two young men were trapped inside their mangled car and by the time Civil Defense personnel arrived at the sport, they had breathed their last.

People in the area have urged the authorities to take quick preventive and safety measures to reduce accidents on the road.

Saudi Arabia has one of the world’s largest number of traffic accident cases.

Statistics from the General Directorate of Traffic show that the Kingdom has 23 deaths per 100,000 people, with on average 19.1 road fatalities occurring daily.

“It is really a matter of lack of discipline, and no doubt better enforcement of speed limits and traffic laws would help,” said a traffic expert.

The rate of traffic accidents per capita in the Kingdom is much higher than in developed countries. Experts predict that if the current rate continues, the Kingdom may have 4 million traffic accidents a year by 2030.

A study conducted by Hany Hassan, assistant professor of transportation engineering at King Saud University, said 600,000 crashes were recorded in the Kingdom in 2012, resulting in the death of 7,638 people.