Saudi Arabia: SR150 fine to be slapped for obstructing access to pedestrians

Cairo: Motorists in Saudi Arabia risk a fine up to SR150 for hampering access to pedestrian crossings.

The traffic authorities have said that fines ranging from SR100 to SR150 will be slapped on motorists who fail to give a priority to pedestrians using their designated tracks.

“Priority is given to pedestrians to use designated places ensures their safety,” the General Directorate of Traffic added.

In recent years, Saudi authorities have toughened penalties against traffic offences to reduce road crashes.

Earlier this month, traffic authorities in the kingdom said that using a cellphone at the wheel is an offence punishable by a fine of up to SR900.

Authorities also said that driving a vehicle with unclear or damaged number plate is a traffic infringement punishable by fines of SR1,000 to 2,000.

Saudi media has recently reported several deadly accidents.

Earlier in August, six members of one Saudi family were killed in a car crash on a road linking Medina and Al Mahd governorate.

Last month, two vehicles collided on a road leading to Medina, leaving four people dead.

In May, a bus, carrying university students, collided with a car in the central city of Buraidah, leaving one female student dead and 24 others injured, their university said.

In March, 21 Umrah pilgrims were killed and 29 others injured when their bus turned over in the south-western Asir region.

Traffic fatalities have dropped by around 35 per cent in five years from 2016.

The annual cost of traffic accidents in Saudi Arabia is estimated at around SR11.7 billion.