Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH – The number of traffic accident-related cases at courts and judicial circuits across the Kingdom reached 15,869 in the last two months.

The cases were filed demanding indemnity and seeking settlement of conflicts on compensation for damages or payment of compensation.

Many cases were against car insurance companies that had failed to pay compensation or failed to conduct repair works.

Courts in the Makkah region registered the highest number of traffic cases (4,795), followed by Riyadh 3,070, Eastern Province 1,823, Asir 1,533, Madinah 1,014, Qassim 808, Jazan 774, Hail 534, Tabuk 472, Najran 336, Al-Jouf 333, Northern Border 200 and Baha 177.

Lawyer Nawaf Al-Nabati said traffic courts are still in the beginning stage. “There is only one traffic court in Riyadh. In other regions traffic cases are still handled by judicial circles inside general courts,” he told Al-Watan Arabic daily.

"The formation of traffic courts will speed up settlement of traffic cases. We hope to see formation of traffic courts in all regions of the Kingdom,” he said, adding that the Justice Ministry wanted to set up such courts shortly as part of its efforts to ensure speedy justice.

“The formation of traffic courts represents a major progress in the Kingdom’s judicial system,” Al-Nabati said, adding that it would benefit citizens and residents and ensure settlement of traffic cases quickly.

He said the majority of traffic cases are related to payment of indemnity following deaths of individuals in road accidents.

“Conflicts over compensation for damages caused by accidents is another major issue that is placed second,” he added.

Saudi Arabia is ranked 23rd on the list of countries witnessing the highest death rates in road accidents. It is second among Arab countries in terms of road deaths, said a senior official at the Traffic Department.

Statistics published by Friends of the Red Crescent Committee citied Saudi Arabia recording 526,000 accidents annually with up to 17 deaths daily, according to the committee’s head Ahmad Al-Shaikha.

“Saudi Arabia suffers material losses worth SR21 billion annually as a result of road accidents,” he added.