JEDDAH: Yacoub bin Yousef Al-Mazrou, secretary-general of the Council of Health Services, has welcomed the government decision to stamp on reckless driving through the introduction of higher fees on errant drivers.
Al-Mazrou said the Saudi society suffers greatly from wayward driving and the latest decision will bring some order on the road.
“The cost of traffic accidents has ballooned in recent years, especially in the health sector as a result of recklessness and failure to abide by traffic regulations. Occupancy in hospital beds in the Kingdom related to cases arising from traffic accidents increased largely and accordingly the occupancy rates in intensive care units of hospitals also increased,” Al-Mazrou was quoted as telling a local publication.
He noted the decision will intensify joint efforts and reinforce the importance of the firm application of traffic regulations, particularly since the biggest causes of traffic accidents are speeding, reckless drifting and running red lights.
From 1999 to 2015, traffic accidents killed 92,000 people and road crash victims occupy 32 percent of hospital beds in the Kingdom.
Over the past 21 months, traffic authorities recorded more than 15,000 drifting violations by citizens and residents, and 449 cases were referred and reviewed by courts over the past five years.
Al-Mazrou said the Saudi society suffers greatly from wayward driving and the latest decision will bring some order on the road.
“The cost of traffic accidents has ballooned in recent years, especially in the health sector as a result of recklessness and failure to abide by traffic regulations. Occupancy in hospital beds in the Kingdom related to cases arising from traffic accidents increased largely and accordingly the occupancy rates in intensive care units of hospitals also increased,” Al-Mazrou was quoted as telling a local publication.
He noted the decision will intensify joint efforts and reinforce the importance of the firm application of traffic regulations, particularly since the biggest causes of traffic accidents are speeding, reckless drifting and running red lights.
From 1999 to 2015, traffic accidents killed 92,000 people and road crash victims occupy 32 percent of hospital beds in the Kingdom.
Over the past 21 months, traffic authorities recorded more than 15,000 drifting violations by citizens and residents, and 449 cases were referred and reviewed by courts over the past five years.
