Traffic is back to moving at snail’s pace during peak hours since the reopening of schools on Sunday, causing tension among drivers and passengers, who run late for appointments and other important engagements.

“Only a few days back, there was a smooth flow of traffic along the main roads. But since the start of classes, key arteries have been full of cars moving way too slowly,” said Tarek Ahmad, who works at a publishing firm.

He added, however, that the situation is the same in other parts of the Kingdom, with many students going back to school after the summer break, during which there was a smooth flow of traffic.

Records show that some 5.5 million students went to school throughout the Kingdom on the first day of the school year on Sunday.

He added that the problem is exacerbated by the fact that some drivers do not drive at the maximum speed limit allowed on a certain road because they talk on their cell phones or send text messages.

“They should not make calls or take calls while driving. They should not also send text messages because this could result in an accident. Instead, they should drive at the maximum limit allowed on a certain road,” he said.

He added this would make traveling faster and "we would reach our destinations on time.”

Abu Khaled, a Jordanian working as IT specialist, added that the heavy traffic has been exacerbated by the massive road repairs and road construction.

Just recently, part of Thakasussi Road was closed, forcing motorists to take other routes, resulting in a car buildup on the Saudi capital’s major thoroughfares, he said.