Saudi Gazette Report

JEDDAH — About 20 percent of 12,037 cases heard by traffic courts in Saudi Arabia during the past eight months involved women drivers, the Arabic-language daily Al-Watan reported on Sunday quoting statistics released by the Justice Ministry.

The report said the majority of charges against women drivers involved rear-ending of cars ahead of them.

Nawwaf Al-Nabati, a lawyer, said after the establishment of traffic courts and traffic circuits in general courts, accident cases, especially those seeking compensation for damage caused to vehicles, were being quickly considered.

He said most of the cases coming to the courts involved demands for blood money and compensation for victims who died or became crippled as a result of road accidents

Ahmed Al-Shihri, a field controller and supervisor of accident inspections, said about 40 percent of rear-end collisions in the past eight months were caused by women drivers.

He said most of the traffic violations registered against women drivers were wrong parking and not fastening the seat belt.

The report said Makkah province, with 3,516 cases, topped all other regions of the Kingdom in the number of lawsuits heard by traffic courts, followed by Riyadh where 3,050 cases were heard during the 8-month period.