Saudi Arabia ranked among the top 20 countries worldwide for the highest number of road-related deaths in 2010, prompting acting Health Minister Adel Fakeih to appeal to experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) for help in developing a management plan.

Hassan Al-Bushri, WHO’s representative in Saudi Arabia, said the organization will send a committee of specialists in early 2015 to assess and review issues concerning traffic accidents in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Bushri said that WHO’s statistics are based on information from 2010, and thus do not reflect the current situation. WHO’s representative also noted that the problems and challenges experienced by the Ministry of Health are mainly due to lack of detailed reports.

Authorities claim that some of the main culprits in traffic accidents in the Kingdom are speeding, inefficient application of international standards and safety specifications in vehicles and failing to use helmets while driving motorcycles.

The WHO recently stated that the relevant authorities must update current information on road accidents and traffic systems, so as to contribute in the development of future plans. Another implementation suggested by the international organization states that the Ministry of Health must work in coordination with the Ministry of Interior to ensure information is not contradictory.

According to Al-Bushri, statistical information must be comprehensive and account for traffic-related deaths, injuries and disabilities in order to provide an accurate portrayal of the scope of the problem.

A report issued by the organization revealed about 1.24 million people die from traffic-related accidents worldwide. In addition, a recent study conducted by the High Commission for the Development of Riyadh reported that the administrative cost of traffic accidents in Riyadh amounts to SR62 million per year, and that the traffic police spend 20 hours on average working on deaths caused by road accidents.

The report indicated the need to place 10 percent of the cost required to implement safety projects, and to allocate a specific budget toward improving traffic regulations and safety measures.

Maj. Gen. Mohammed Abu Saqu, chairman of the Security Committee at the Shoura Council, said traffic safety is a shared national responsibility, that should not only fall on the shoulders of the Ministry of Interior or traffic authorities. Ensuring the security of all roads across the Kingdom, as well as available alternative means of safe transportation, are essential steps to addressing the traffic safety issue, Abu Saqu added.