JEDDAH: Poor traffic laws, the lack of enough punishment, and poor engineering of roads were described as the main causes of an increase in fatal traffic accidents from a recent survey conducted by a local newspaper.
Of participants in the survey, 33 percent said lack of sufficient penalties were to blame while 24 percent cited poor traffic regulations, 22 percent cited drivers using social media, and 21 percent cited poor engineering of roads.
Saudi Arabia came second in the Arab world after Libya, and 23rd globally, in terms of increased rates of road deaths.
Earlier this month, the committee on traffic safety in the Eastern Province announced statistics on serious traffic incidents and their locations as well as statistics on traffic violations in the region.
The statistics show the number of serious accidents rose during the first half of 1436 A.H.
The accidents resulted in 676 deaths and 3,105 serious injuries, increasing the death toll by 12 percent and the number of injuries by one percent.
The figures also showed a remarkable number of injuries due to serious accidents in cities, an increase of 31 percent, resulting in 36 percent more deaths and 27 percent more injuries.
The Eastern Province witnessed a noticeable decline of 22 percent in the number of serious highway accidents during the first half of 1437 A.H. which contributed to a 17 percent reduction in serious injuries in highway accidents.
Accidents on highways outside the region, however, resulted in a three percent increase in the death toll.
Hafr Al-Batin and Abqaiq had the highest increase in rates of deaths and injuries in traffic accidents, while Al-Ahsa and Jubail saw a decline in injuries and deaths from such accidents.
In its annual report, the World Health Organization noted that road accidents claim 1.2 million lives worldwide annually, 90 percent of which occur in developing countries despite the fact that these countries have only 54 percent of the total number of cars in the world.
According to the report, the main causes behind road accidents are absence of laws and regulations to control driving behavior and speed in these countries, and lack of proper road planning.
Road accidents are the main cause of deaths of youths aged 15 to 29, while governments incur costs of about three percent of GDP, the report indicated.
Africa has the highest rates of road deaths, while Europe has the lowest.
The global average rate of deaths is 17.5 per 100,000 people, which generally decreases in high- and middle-income countries, and rises in low-income countries.
In contrast to this global trend, however, the report indicated that high-income countries in the Middle East have increasing rates of road accidents due to the inability of these countries to advance and develop road and traffic rules to comply with rapid economic growth and increases in the number of vehicles.
Of participants in the survey, 33 percent said lack of sufficient penalties were to blame while 24 percent cited poor traffic regulations, 22 percent cited drivers using social media, and 21 percent cited poor engineering of roads.
Saudi Arabia came second in the Arab world after Libya, and 23rd globally, in terms of increased rates of road deaths.
Earlier this month, the committee on traffic safety in the Eastern Province announced statistics on serious traffic incidents and their locations as well as statistics on traffic violations in the region.
The statistics show the number of serious accidents rose during the first half of 1436 A.H.
The accidents resulted in 676 deaths and 3,105 serious injuries, increasing the death toll by 12 percent and the number of injuries by one percent.
The figures also showed a remarkable number of injuries due to serious accidents in cities, an increase of 31 percent, resulting in 36 percent more deaths and 27 percent more injuries.
The Eastern Province witnessed a noticeable decline of 22 percent in the number of serious highway accidents during the first half of 1437 A.H. which contributed to a 17 percent reduction in serious injuries in highway accidents.
Accidents on highways outside the region, however, resulted in a three percent increase in the death toll.
Hafr Al-Batin and Abqaiq had the highest increase in rates of deaths and injuries in traffic accidents, while Al-Ahsa and Jubail saw a decline in injuries and deaths from such accidents.
In its annual report, the World Health Organization noted that road accidents claim 1.2 million lives worldwide annually, 90 percent of which occur in developing countries despite the fact that these countries have only 54 percent of the total number of cars in the world.
According to the report, the main causes behind road accidents are absence of laws and regulations to control driving behavior and speed in these countries, and lack of proper road planning.
Road accidents are the main cause of deaths of youths aged 15 to 29, while governments incur costs of about three percent of GDP, the report indicated.
Africa has the highest rates of road deaths, while Europe has the lowest.
The global average rate of deaths is 17.5 per 100,000 people, which generally decreases in high- and middle-income countries, and rises in low-income countries.
In contrast to this global trend, however, the report indicated that high-income countries in the Middle East have increasing rates of road accidents due to the inability of these countries to advance and develop road and traffic rules to comply with rapid economic growth and increases in the number of vehicles.
