Traffic in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example

First, it is the driving problem with young people. Al Mazyad as cited by Joffe-Walt (2010) quoted that “young people have a very little outlet to enjoy themselves and do what they want to do.” It is true for a fact that illegal drag racing that involves young people is held even in streets and highways in the cities. Another factor is the lack of education in schools about driving and respecting the roads.

In addition, there is a lot of corruption among government departments taking budget for public service announcement about speeding and yet nothing of it happens Saadi as cited by Joffe-Walt (2010). These are just some of the many causes of the worsening traffic condition in my country. Personally speaking, I believe that the government should start with the strictest laws on the road. There have been rules regarding traffic in Saudi Arabia, but the implementation is somewhat lenient. Just like in other countries, there should be a series of tests among the citizens before they can be issued a driving license.

Proper education should also be given to those who aspire to get a license. This must include the rules and regulations on the road and the danger and real-life statistics about traffic-related accidents to serve as a warning. If public service announcement cannot be made in a holistic approach, I believe starting it with a small sector will be more effective. In terms of drag racing, I suggest for the authority to encourage young people to do it in a race track to make it legal and safer for them and the public as well.

It might also be helpful to assign corresponding traffic police or personnel among busy roads and highways. It can also be noted that Saudi Arabia lacks in road markings and rubbish signs which are very important in giving signals to the motorists on their travel. There should be a clear street system to avoid confusion among the motorists. Based on observation, street names are also confusing as there are about three to four names in one street. It should be made clear as it would help avoid traffic congestion as directions will be clear.

For a fact, Kingdom’s General Directorate of Traffic’s report (2009) found that almost a third of traffic accidents in the Saudi capital Riyadh were due to drivers jumping red lights, followed by 18 percent of accidents caused by illegal U-turns. The most common dangerous driving activities were speeding, sudden stops, and speaking on the phone while driving Joffe-Walt (2010). Moreover, I would recommend encouraging the citizens to use public transport as a means of travel. The volume of private vehicles flooding the busy cities of Saudi Arabia is the main factor that contributes to the traffic problem.

Although it is not going to be a popular solution as Saudi Arabia has the second-highest rate of car ownership in the world Hattam (2009), it would certainly help lessen the number of private vehicles roaming the streets every day. There has been a proposal to build a metro system aiming to give passengers the first-class quality with the privacy of air-conditioned comfort, to swap their cars for a mass transit system" -- even one with luxury leather seats Hattam (2009). If the citizens would only patronize this plan once it is ready, the daily usage of cars would be minimized.

It would somehow reduce the chains of private cars on the roads, especially during rush hours. These are my personal recommendations aside from the current traffic management system that exists in my country. It is not the lack of rules and regulations but the rigid implementation of the street system that will resolve this social problem.