MAHAYIL ASIR – Another young man lost his life in an accident on Mahayil Asir-Abu Sakeena Road on Saturday. Asir Red Crescent reported the 20-year-old man was run over by a car while he attempted to cross the road. The body was taken to the morgue of Mahayil Asir General Hospital morgue. The hospital later released the body to relatives for burial. Residents of Abu Sakeena township, 170 km northwest of Abha, have threatened to take legal action against the Transport Ministry for not maintaining the road that links them with Mahayil Asir and thus causing an increase in the number of accidents on this vital road. "The 30-km road has become a death trap fro motorists. It has several dangerous curves and lacks safety means and indicators," said Nasser Abu Alama while speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette. This international road that links Saudi Arabia with Yemen is used by thousands of people in addition to more than 30,000 people living in Abu Sakeena. It also serves students and teachers of 40 schools and the new College of Technology. Abu Alama and other residents urged the ministry to construct a wider multi-lane road replacing the existing one to ensure the safety of motorists. Signboards should also be installed at accident-prone curves and the entry of huge trucks must be restricted, he added. "The Mahayil Asir-Abu Sakeena Road has become a field of death due to recurring accidents," Abu Alama added. Mohammed Bin Jurman drew the ministry's attention to the many dangerous curves along the road. "Motorists who plan to travel on this road are considered among the lost while those who cross it are treated as newborns," he said while highlighting the road's dangerous condition. Jurman urged the authorities to renovate the road incorporating all safety requirements. Badr Bin Hudaifa Al-Tewala, former chief judge of Abu Sakeena Court, said he had looked into several cases of accident disputes during his tenure as the chief judge of the township. "Many motorists try to avoid this road fearing accidents," he told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. "I have noticed that the presence of a large number of trucks contributes to an increase in accidents on this vital road," he said and urged authorities to take quick steps to ensure the safety of motorists and other road users. Abdul Khaliq Abdul Rahman Al-Jabir, another judge, said he had witnessed several deadly accidents on the road and they happen almost daily. "The road is narrow, it has dangerous curves, it lacks iron fencing and is located above ground level. These are the reasons for the growing number of accidents," Al-Jabir said. He urged the authorities to make the road safer for motorists and protect their lives. "Protecting lives is one of the five major objectives of Shariah," he added. Prominent citizens in Abu Sakeena including Ali Mohammed Abu Atra, Mohammed Abu Allama and Aamir Yahya Al-Arabi called upon the authorities to put an end to the tragedies on the road. "When are they going to construct a multi-lane road with median, leaving enough space on both sides? How many more people should perish to open the eyes of the authorities," asked Abu Atra. Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Hudaifi, head of the Islamic Studies Department at Al-Baha University, expressed his deep concern over the growing number of accidents on the road. "This is an international road and links the Kingdom with Yemen," he said while stressing the importance of expanding the road as quickly as possible to save lives.
