JEDDAH: The head of Highway Security has described this year's Haj traffic operations as “excellent”, saying that “none of the large-scale accidents that we feared in the past have been registered this year”. Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Khaled Al-Qahtani said that Highway Security Forces' checkpoints, Saher traffic cameras and safe driving awareness campaigns had proved effective, while suggesting that maximum speed limits could be raised. “We have placed numerous ‘slow down' checkpoints on roads into Makkah and Madina, with 42 such points on the Hijaz Highway coming from Riyadh, for example,” Al-Qahtani said. “These checkpoints are different from permanent inspection checkpoints, and are used to hand out leaflets on the dangers of speeding to drivers and pilgrims. Their main purpose is to get drivers to reduce their speed, and they are aimed particularly at the drivers of pilgrim buses.” Al-Qahtani said that falling speeds were in part attributable to the introduction of Saher cameras. “The Saher effect has been extremely good, and this year's Haj is the first in which we have really felt that drivers have made an effort to keep their speeds down,” he said. “We have only registered one highway accident, on the Makkah to Jeddah road, and that involved one car with only one passenger.” Despite the success in reducing speeds, Al-Qahtani said that moves were being considered to raise speed limits. “Speed limits are set by the Traffic Administration and are not done randomly, but a review is currently being conducted following the introduction of the Saher system,” he said. “Our highways are well-designed, and 120 km/h as the maximum speed limit might be holding up vehicles and it should be raised. This is a subject that is currently being looked at.” Before that can happen, he said, Highway Security must receive detailed assessments of highways so that each one can be assigned a speed limit in accordance with its condition, safety considerations, and the volume of traffic it receives. “Speed limits will vary on each highway,” Al-Qahtani said,” but I think that anything over 140 km/h would not be appropriate at all for any highway.”
