MANY Saudi women in Dammam underwent training programs and attended awareness lectures on traffic safety rules at the “Qiadaty Eradati” forum, which translates to “my driving is my will”. The forum was aimed at raising awareness about the importance of road safety measures in order to reduce traffic accidents. Participants were made aware of the traffic laws and their importance in ensuring safety for all. Women attending the forum not only learned about road safety but also how to drive a car through virtual simulations. The activities were part of their preparations to earn a driver’s license. At the forum, the Saudi General Directorate of Traffic demonstrated all the necessary regulatory and administrative requirements to be implemented. This will enable the department to fulfill its role when women begin to drive in Saudi Arabia. In September of last year, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman issued a decree allowing Saudi women to drive as of June 23 (Shawwal 10). The initiative comes as part of large-scale economic and social reforms. Speaking to Al Arabiya.net, Princess Abeer Bint Faisal sent a message to women across Saudi Arabia. “Thank God Almighty we have trust in Saudi women. They are capable of taking the responsibility of driving as they do with her duties at home. We trust their commitment because they are much more aware than they once were.” In a video obtained by Al Arabiya.net, university students were seen participating in training activities. All the students looked very happy as they took the driver’s seat for the first time. Meanwhile, driving instructor Bashaer Al-Masiri said that learning to drive is not an easy task as some may think and, in fact, requires a combination of skill and understanding. “Driving also requires capable instructors who imbibe in them the necessary safety measures for the task,” she added. About 61% of Saudi women are all set to drive when they are allowed to do so in June. A survey, conducted at a conference in Riyadh earlier this month titled “drive safely”, found that only 9% of Saudi women have not yet made up their mind about driving. About 48% of them said they need to drive to their place of work and 18% said they wanted to drive in order to take their children to school. About 41% of women said they were scared of driving because of the perils of the road while 31% said there was no need for them to drive and 27% said they preferred private drivers. The survey revealed that about 50% of women have some knowledge of traffic safety. — Al Arabiya English