Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — In a landmark agreement considered historical, Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz University and the Traffic Department have inked an agreement on Sunday to establish driving schools for women. The agreement was signed by Professor Abdul Rahman Al-Youbi, rector of the university, and Brig. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami, director general of traffic, at university on Sunday.

Brig. Gen. Al-Bassami said the agreement, which is valid for five years, followed the Kingdom’s decision to lift the ban on women driving in the country. He said the traffic police wanted to train women drivers in a professional manner through institutions that ensure safety and help them achieve the highest quality driving skills.

The traffic chief said they would enter into agreements with educational institutions around the Kingdom to develop the driving skills of women. He also said the traffic police would follow the same procedures for men in issuing driving licenses to women.

Al-Bassami expressed confidence that the agreement would play its role in fulfilling the desires of the Kingdom’s rulers in this regard, said a statement issued by the university.

Al-Youbi said the university would establish driving schools with international standards to provide training to women in driving and road safety measures.

The university will also establish a center for research in areas relevant to driving, he said.

Senior officials of KAU Abdullah Bin Omar Bafeel and Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, and Director General of Traffic in Jeddah Brig. Sulaiman Al-Zikri were present at the signing ceremony.