RIYADH – Citizens and expatriates have been asked to voice their opinion at the Riyadh Traffic Department's website regarding traffic regulations and fines. Traffic Department spokesman Col. Ali Al-Debaikhi said the department uses the public's opinions and suggestions to update and revise regulations. “Citizens and expatriates can help us improve and develop our systems,” he added. Al-Debaikhi said over 21,000 respondents participated in the online poll recently. Sixty-four percent of them said the majority of drivers do not comply with traffic rules while only 36 percent believed road users follow these rules. Regarding the number of road accidents, Al-Debaikhi said there has been a decrease in road fatalities due to an increase in drivers' awareness. He also said the department, together with several government agencies, will launch a program to further increase drivers' awareness about the importance of abiding by traffic rules. When asked about the rise in the practice of car drifting, Al-Debaikhi said the department dispatched undercover traffic officers to note the license plate numbers of cars whose owners engage in drifting and stunt races. He added that undercover officers are instructed not to chase car drifters but only note their residential addresses and license plate numbers. “Each day we catch 30 car drifters and ask their parents to come to the department to write an undertaking that their sons won't engage in car drifting again. The department has set various plans to curb the dangerous practice, which has spread to different parts of Riyadh. The plans have helped in curbing this practice,” he said while stressing that the department will deal sternly with all car drifters as they pose a risk to public safety.
