Saudi Gazette Report AL-BAHA — Following Saturday’s fatal accident that claimed the lives of nine people, the residents of Baha province are calling for radical measures to ensure the safety of travelers on Aqabat Haznah Road, which is a vital link between the cities of Baljurashi and Al-Mikhwah. They emphasized the need for additional safety measures, flood drainage systems and clearing walls of rocks that are waiting to fall on the road at any moment. The microbus accident that killed nine expatriates or injured six others on Saturday evening on their way to Aqabat Haznah raised questions about the neglect of the area and the allocation of budgets for maintenance and rehabilitation of roads for more than a quarter century, Al-Madinah newspaper reported. The heavily frequented Aqabat Haznah Road lacked ground reflectors and cat’s eyes in some locations, the paper said after a visit to the region. In addition, there is a grave danger from rocks falling on to the road any time. The rocks from excavation work are stuck in slopes above the road. The road with many dangerous curves lacked warning signs. Al-Madinah also visited the site of Saturday’s accident in a sloppy stretch of the road. Mohammed Al-Amri, a resident, said Aqabat Haznah Road is a vital artery for commuters including students and teachers. The construction of the road helped shorten the distance between some of the cities in the region and contributed to the revitalization of tourism and trade. He said the road needs ground reflections and cat’s eyes especially in foggy weather. Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, another resident, said the Roads Department announced budgets for maintenance and rehabilitation of Aqabat Haznah. “We however did not see any tangible action on the ground except visit by committees and experts to detect rocks,” said Al-Ghamdi, while demanding reconstruction of the road in a number of areas. He said the road served citizens by alleviating the burden of covering long distances. Ibrahim Fakih said large vehicles constantly cross the road and there is a risk of them skidding off due to pressure on the brakes. He wanted a ban on large vehicles from Aqabat Haznah Road. Al-Madinah sent the complaints from citizens to spokesman of the road department Masfer Al-Maliki, but he did not react until the report was prepared.