Eighty percent of accidents are caused by motorists running through red lights and speeding, a senior traffic official said here on Thursday.

Col. Zaid Al-Hamzi, spokesman of the Jeddah Traffic Department, was speaking at a preparatory meeting here for the launch of Gulf Traffic Week on Sunday.

Al-Hamzi said traffic officers would lecture school and university students on the importance of obeying traffic laws during the event.

The traffic department would also organize visits to accident victims currently under treatment, and distribute information brochures.

The preparatory meeting was held under the chairmanship of Jeddah Traffic Director Brig. Wasalallah Al-Harbi. The meeting agreed to inform the public about traffic regulations and safe driving, and urged people to help reduce the accident rate in the city.

“The traffic week will include an exhibition at the Red Sea Mall with related departments in the morning and evening,” Al-Harbi told Arab News.

He said the traffic department has arranged with the education department to have schoolchildren visit the exhibition so that they could learn about traffic laws. There would be evening sessions for families, he said.