Traffic accidents occur every minute in KSA

Authorities disclosed that at least one traffic accident occurs in the Kingdom every minute. Saudi Arabia witnesses up to 7,000 deaths annually, and over 39,000 injuries per year, Sultan bin Al-Zahrani, secretary general of the Traffic Safety Committee in the province, said.
According to Al-Zahrani, the Kingdom ranks at the top of the list of the world’s countries regarding the number of total traffic deaths per 100,000 persons, which is about 21 deaths.
Al-Zahrani revealed the grim statistics during a workshop organized by the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The official noted that a study published by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, raised the figure to 29 deaths.
“The Traffic Safety Committee in the Eastern Province (EP) conducted a study which revealed that the volume of the economic losses resulting from traffic accidents stands at SR3 billion annually,” he said.
Firas Nasser, director of marketing and relations in Al Najim Company, said his company supports the Traffic Department when it comes to minor accidents which cost less than SR5,000.
“About 70 percent of the accidents that occur in the Kingdom are of minor sort,” he said.
Nasser’s company, he pointed out, receives accidents’ claims in remote cities online to save time and effort. He said most of the minor accidents take place in major cities, and amount for 65 percent of the reported claims handled by his company.
Saleh Al-Enzi, regional manager of an insurance company in the EP, said that vehicle owners have the responsibility to be liable to receive any financial entitlements, such as notifying the competent agency on the losses. Later, they must submit the required documents and disclose all relevant facts with honesty and transparency.
The insurance firm must pay the financial liabilities within 15 days of receiving the claim.