Riyadh's PSU tops Saudi universities in research quality    Historic Jeddah hosts 'Ramadan Season 2025' with diverse cultural events    Project launched to evaluate degraded sites in Saudi regions    Bevatel leads the WhatsApp Business API and Meta Solutions for GCC businesses    Aramco reports $106.2 billion net income for 2024    Trump's tariffs risk economic turbulence and voter backlash    Two dead after car plows into crowd in Germany    Pope Francis 'alert' after respiratory failure    Trump pauses US military aid to Ukraine following disastrous Oval Office meeting    In-person school classes will remain suspended in some parts of Makkah region on Tuesday    Al-Ahli CEO Ron Gourlay to step down in April    HONOR unveils New Corporate Strategy to Transition to an AI Device Ecosystem Company Illuminating a three-step roadmap underpinned by openness and collaboration    MEPCO lays the Foundation for PM5: A Groundbreaking Leap in Paper Production, doubling Supply Capacity and introducing Superior-Quality Paper to the Region    Secure 2030 by Seclore strengthens Data Sovereignty, Cybersecurity and Regulations in Saudi Arabia    UK death rate 'reaches record low'    Anora sweeps Oscars with best picture, best director and best actress for Mikey Madison    Bassogog stuns Al-Ittihad with last-minute equalizer as Al-Okhdood snatches a dramatic draw    Cristiano Ronaldo left out of Al-Nassr squad for AFC Champions League clash against Esteghlal in Iran    Toney's hat-trick stuns Al Hilal as Al Ahli claims thrilling victory in Saudi Clasico    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    SFDA warns against Maragatty chicken broth for containing banned colorants    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Defensive driving starts up in Jeddah
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 10 - 11 - 2008

A surprisingly large turnout of women marked the launch here Sunday of the Arab world's first academy for defensive driving.
Women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia but their huge participation in the launch of Safra Defensive Driving Academy (SDDA) at Jeddah Raceway here suggests that Saudi society is closing ranks to assume collective social responsibility for reducing the Kingdom's high road-death and injury rates, considered among the highest in the world.
“Our interest in the event is because the men in our family drive,” said one woman who asked not to be identified. “Besides, we are driven around by men.”
Statistics show that 270,000 car accidents occur every year in Saudi Arabia, the highest in the GCC and other Arab countries. One person is killed and eight are injured every two hours, and 32,000 people are injured every year due to traffic accidents in the Kingdom. Most of the victims are young Saudis.
There were about 200 women in the approximately 500-strong turnout for the launch of SDDA by Jeddah Governor Prince Mishal Bin Majed. The event, held in a huge tent with separate sections for men and women, was held under the auspices of Makkah Emir Prince Khalid Al-Faisal.
The Academy is a joint venture by Safra Company Limited (a subsidiary of Xenel Group) and United Racing Company (URC), owner and operator of Jeddah Raceway, the first motor racing circuit in Saudi Arabia. Prince Faisal Bin Saud Bin Abdul Mohsen is the chairman of URC.
SDDA has drawn on the expertise of the National Defensive Driving Academy (NDDA) of Arizona, USA, for the school. “Our definition of defensive driving is the adoption of a driving style designed to make the driver far less likely to be involved in an accident – irrespective of the poor driving of other people,” said Bernard Strass who runs the Arizona academy, in his speech.
SDDA courses are fully aligned with NDDA principles, with only subtle modifications necessary to meet local driving conditions, he said.
NDDA-trained Saudi lecturers and instructors will conduct the courses, said Mishaal Al-Sulaiman, URC vice-chairman and head of SDDA, who had come up with the idea of the academy. SDDA's goal is to graduate 20,000 trainees through theoretical and practical training.
Other collaborators in SDDA are Arab Organization for Traffic Safety, Jeddah Council for Social Responsibility of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), and the Royal Organization for the Prevention of Traffic Accidents.
Sheikh Yousuf Ahmed Yousuf Xenel, a director of Safra Co. Ltd., said the private sector was supporting government efforts through SDDA. “In view of the different cultures among motorists, and taking into account the cause of social development, we thought it most appropriate to support this academy in achieving its goals of teaching the art of defensive driving, of enhancing all conduct associated with safe driving and of raising the awareness of the motorists about the extent of his responsibility,” he said.
Monal Zeidan, Marketing and Communications Director General of Nissan Middle East, said they are offering 2,500 course scholarships to local schools, colleges and universities.
Elfat Mohammed Kabani, board member of Jeddah Council for Social Responsibility, noted in her speech that 40 percent of those involved in accidents in Saudi Arabia are young people. “Therefore, it requires all our efforts and resources available to reduce these accidents... since protecting the lives of our sons, our mainstay, is a social responsibility upon all of us.”
Brig. Amin Bin Abdul Hamid Qashqary, vice chairman of the Arab Organization for Traffic Safety, described SDDA as “a quality program unique in the Arab World” and said it should be extended to other cities in Saudi Arabia.
Course subjects
Awareness of the risks on public roads
Safety measures, the equipment on cars and the
right ways to use them
Ways to avoid accidents
Right behavior in case of an accident
Safe-driving with babies and infants on board
Building self-confidence behind the steering wheel
Course duration: 6 hours - 3 hours theory, 3 hours driving.
Instructor course: 1 week __


Clic here to read the story from its source.