Saudi Arabia, like many other countries, experiences a high number of road accidents every year. The magnitude of road accidents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is relatively high. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior Traffic Department data revealed that 7,512 deaths, 39,569 injuries, and 21,886 car collisions occurred in 2018. This shows that road accidents in the country are severe and require attention.
The road crashes have a variety of causes and contributory factors. Driver behavior, including speeding, failing to follow road rules, lack of seatbelt use, and cell phone use while driving, is one of the most significant causes. The driver's age, gender, and previous driving experience are other contributory factors. Inadequate road infrastructure, such as poorly maintained roads and lack of pedestrian crossings, is another significant cause of accidents. The majority of the accidents happen due to these reasons.
In recent years, there has been an increase in interventions aimed at reducing the risk factors associated with road crashes and injury severity in Saudi Arabia.
The most prominent of these are the following:Enforcing traffic rules: Traffic police have increased their presence on the roads, and penalties for road violations have become stricter. This has resulted in a decrease in the number of road accidents. The police also launched traffic safety campaigns and provided free car inspections. This has significantly reduced accidents caused by car malfunctions.
Increasing road infrastructure: The Saudi Arabian government has begun investing heavily in road infrastructure, including the construction of new roads, bridges, tunnels, and underpasses. The government has also begun building more pedestrian crossings, improving signage, and upgrading existing roads with better lighting, drainage, and safety features.
Launching awareness campaigns: The government, along with non-governmental organizations, has launched several awareness campaigns aimed at reducing the risk factors associated with road crashes and injury severity. These campaigns have included media and social media campaigns, school programs, and community outreach programs.
These campaigns have helped to change the behavior of drivers and pedestrians alike.
Raising the legal driving age: The Saudi Arabian government raised the legal driving age to 18 in 2018. This has significantly reduced the number of accidents involving young drivers who have little driving experience.