Traffic Safety Study A Call for Action Zaki

Traffic Safety Study A Call for Action Zaki Safar Shaybah Producing Department February 1, 2010

Agenda 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) Travel Warnings Facts & Figures The Study Results Other Common Violations Call for Action

Saudi Arabia MOFA’s Travel Warnings The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns Saudi citizens travelling to Kenya that hunting is prohibited.

Saudi Arabia MOFA’s Travel Warnings This alert provides advice to Saudis traveling to India: • Going into suspicious places • Stashing money or passports in handbags

Take a look at what other countries warn their citizens travelling to Saudi Arabia about:

US State Department Travel Warnings http: //travel. state. gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_1012. html

Britain’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office Warnings http: //www. fco. gov. uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/travel-advice-by-country/middle -east-north-africa/saudi-arabia

Why do we Saudis have such an unflattering global image regarding our driving habits? Let the facts speak for themselves:

Facts and Figures � 6, 485 people lost their lives last year in traffic accidents. � 17 persons per day are killed. �One death occurs every 90 minutes.

Facts and Figures �Saudi Arabia has the highest rate of road accidents in the world. �One third of our hospital beds are auto accident victims. �In 1429, we had the 2 nd highest number of traffic fatalities worldwide.

Facts and Figures �In 1427 H (2006): 283, 684 traffic accidents �In 1429 H (2008): over 485, 000 traffic accidents � 1329 accidents per day � 55 accidents per hour. � 71% increase from 1427 to 1429

Study Details �Date and time: �Thursday, May 7, 2009, 10: 15 -11: 15 pm � Location: �Prince Muhammad bin Abdulaziz & Prince Majid intersection, Jeddah �Driving behavior examined: �Running red lights

The Study For a one-hour period, we observed: 1. the number of vehicles running the red light at one traffic signal in Jeddah. 2. the time elapsed from the first car going through the red light until the last one reaching the other side of the intersection.

Satellite shot of the location N W

Satellite shot for location (cont) M yp os t

Closer look

Results � 116 vehicles ran the red light in one hour � 2 violations per minute �Average length of time of vehicles going though after the light turns red: 9. 2 seconds �Percentage of time taken from vehicles with green light right of way: 18%

In one hour, there are 20 red lights Red Light # of Vehicles Elapsed Time 1 5 7. 2 11 8 14. 0 2 5 7. 2 12 4 7. 9 3 6 8. 5 13 6 11 4 3 8. 2 14 3 7. 4 5 9 12. 0 15 1 10. 2 6 4 9. 3 16 11 10. 3 7 10 8. 2 17 5 9. 6 8 5 6. 9 18 5 11. 7 9 7 8. 2 19 8 11. 1 10 7 8. 4 20 3 6. 0

Results in Detail Total # of Vehicles Total Elapsed Time 116 183. 8 Maximum Max Elapsed Time 11 14. 0 Minimum Min Elapsed Time 1 6. 0 Average Ave Elapsed Time 5. 8 9. 19

# of Vehicles vs. traffic light 12 No. of Vehicles 10 8 6 4 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Traffic Light No.

Elapsed time vs. traffic light 14 Elapsed Time 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Traffic Light No.

Common traffic violations in Saudi �Speeding �Disobeying traffic light �Tailgating (following too closely) �Driving with lights off �Failure to yield at roundabouts �Failure to signal at lane change/turning �Disregarding pedestrians crossing �Failure to maintain lane(Vehicles huddling closely together) �Illegal parking (on curb, blocking, middle of street, etc) �Driving/passing on shoulder �Flashing high beams

Consequences? At the same intersection where the study had been conducted, two auto accidents occurred two weeks later. One resulted from disobeying a traffic light. The other from an improper turn and reckless driving

Time to Take Action? YES For the sake of: �Our lives and the lives of others �Our country’s global image �Our economy As Professional Development Program Participants, IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US TO COLLECTIVELY TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION IMMEDIATELY

Plan �Create a traffic safety organization Vision Statement �To promote safe and courteous driving practices among motorists young and old on the Kingdom’s roads & highways.

Goals �Massive media campaign on nation level (radio, TV, internet, billboards, etc) �Integrate traffic safety classes from elementary to college �Work with traffic police �Establish respectable driving schools �Give presentations at schools, colleges, institutes, etc �Handing out educational materials �Write articles in both Arabic and English language newspapers and magazines

THE END Questions or Comments?

Works cited �http: //www. shrooq 2. com/vb/showthread. php? t=12685 �http: //www. alwatan. com. sa/newsdetail. asp? issueno =3081&id=93117 �http: //www. bdr 130. net/vb/t 475516. html �http: //www. mofa. gov. sa/Detail. asp? In. Section. ID=1539&In News. Item. ID=82541 �http: //travel. state. gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_1012. html �http: //www. fco. gov. uk/en/travelling-and-livingoverseas/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-northafrica/saudi-arabia