JEDDAH — Despite the launch of awareness campaigns, doubling of traffic fines and installation of surveillance cameras, the Kingdom's streets are still suffering from increasing traffic chaos. The number of traffic accidents has soared to dangerous levels. Many innocent people have lost their lives in these accidents, demonstrating that neither awareness campaigns nor the increased fines have been effective or contributed to putting an end to the traffic chaos. The traffic policeman is supposed to be aware of his role in organizing the traffic and intervene to relieve congestion and prevent accidents. He is also meant to closely watch reckless drivers who are unaware of the risks they are causing to others. Reckless Saudi youths are often seen driving their cars very fast, endangering their own lives and those of others. These drivers, whether they are Saudis or foreigners, are supposed to be severely penalized to ensure that the traffic violations are not repeated. Even the cameras of the Saher system that have been planted along highways to check speeding drivers are well known to motorists who will slow down before reaching them and then increase their speed afterward. M. Mohammed Kabli, a businessman, blames the absence of signs for the traffic chaos. He said: “A driver may enter a branch street from a main one without any consideration for traffic priorities. “He could stop at the side of the street until he is sure that there are no cars coming. This is all because there are no signboards to tell him what to do.” Kabli said many streets do not have signs specifying the maximum speed limit. “What aggravates the problem further is the absence of any traffic policeman who, if at all found, will be sitting in his car observing traffic from a distance without any interest. “A traffic violation may be committed right in front of his eyes but he will not move as if it does not concern him.” Kabil said the traffic system has lost respect because of the lack of interest shown by traffic policemen. “The absence of traffic policemen from our streets has caused even the foreigners, who will not dare to break the traffic laws in their own countries, to commit all kinds of traffic violations in the Kingdom.” Aymen Saad Al-Nafhan, another businessman, said the traffic offenses are usually caused by reckless driving and disregard for traffic laws. “The traffic chaos is also caused by the bad layout of our streets which are full of ditches.” He said a turning point was opened in one of the Jeddah highways that led to many accidents. Al-Nafhan urged government departments including the directorate general of traffic to work out a solution to the rising problem of traffic in the Kingdom. Owaidah Al-Johani, who owns car showrooms in Jeddah, said volunteers could be a solution. Young men should be thoroughly trained on organizing traffic to help police, he said. He also called for more undercover traffic officers to help cut down traffic offenses. He said: “Our streets are suffering from traffic chaos. “Trucks and large vehicles are allowed to roam these streets around the clock. “These vehicles should only be permitted to use the streets at certain hours of the day to avoid causing traffic jams.” Sulaiman Al-Qasoumi, a government employee, believes a lack of deterrent punishments is the main cause for traffic congestion. He said: “The absence of traffic policemen in the streets encourages reckless drivers to continue disrespecting traffic rules and regulations.” Al-Qasoumi believes the physical presence of traffic policemen along the streets and implementation of severe punishments for reckless drivers will help improve the situation on the roads. “Drivers will be keen not to commit any offenses if they realize that a policeman is watching them.” He called for harsher punishments, especially against taxi drivers who he accused of causing about 40 percent of accidents. “The limousine driver should be fined double for a traffic violation. “Half the fine should be paid by his company while the other should be taken from his own income. Then he will not dare to commit another traffic violation.” Tariq Affendi, another employee, said traffic chaos has become a rising trend in the Kingdom threatening lives. He called for a better layout of streets to prevent accidents caused by bad design. Fahd Al-Sulaimani, Director of Al-Iman (Faith) Society, called for establishing small traffic centers inside residential quarters in all big cities. “Every center should have an officer and three privates who work in shifts covering the whole day. These centers will help organize traffic better.” Al-Sulaimani also called for severe punishments for drivers using their mobile phones or sending text messages while driving. He said traffic police officers, not only privates, should go out on the streets to organize traffic movement. “When we travel abroad we see high ranking police officers organizing traffic themselves, not leaving this duty to the privates.”
