Driving in Saudi Arabia

Hello.
I m jaswinder singh from India
We can believe in saudia arbia driving role too good.in the other countries.
1)But some saudia people are crazy.
2) every one use mobile on the road when they are driving I think this main reason for ...happening. ...
Other countries driver are good ...drive in this country. ..
3) I m so happy traffic police. ...in saudia. .
All most everything good. ..

Just one rule "there is no rule". You can drive as you like.

Do they really drive in saudi Arabia? I though they fly low

The driving in Saudi is the absolute worst I have EVER seen in my life!!!!  Saudis are totally selfish and arrogant.  Not giving a Damn about anyone or anything but themselves!!!   They speed, drive the wrong way, use phones, drive with their feet on the Dashboard, drive through red lights, jump the queue, go from lane one to five in a second, stop in the middle of the road to have a chat with their friends in a convoy of three cars, not giving a damn about anyone else, Boys of 12 years old driving.  They can't even see over the steering wheel!!!!  They don't even give way to police and ambulance!! How arrogant is that??? You take your life in your hands when you drive there.

I have never seen such bad car accidents as I have in Saudi.  The cars are totally mangled.
the death rate from RTA must be very high.  Every day there are accidents.  They have speed cameras but what is 500 sr to a Saudi? They don't even pay the fine.  They are Spoilt, Selfish people who are allowed to do what they want so they don't give a damn about anyone but them.

I live and borne on jeddah i can end this conversation with tow wards
Driving on Saudi Arabia is


DEATH MATCH  🚑🏥🔥

architectG wrote:

Based on statistics 23 people die per day in road accident in Saudi Arabia.

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/caus … y-country/

I've seen drivers with one leg up on the dash board!

You mean '23 per 100,000' people die in road accidents. Its not 'per day'.

realfree wrote:

Driving culture does not suit the whole life here.
Everything in KSA is slow.... You can't rush business, government, people etc. Even normal speed of things are rare to see.
But, when it comes to the roads, the mentality changes totally.
I was not a driver in my home country and learned in KSA. You have to be alert all the time. And in case of any accident you can find yourself in a biased situation for expats in negative ways (but I see rarely the opposite)

I beg to differ on 'biased against expats'. I have had the opposite experience from the law-enforcement, I was involved in an accident and the officer showed NO BIAS towards anyone, and he was very polite, did a write-up and guided me and was on my way.

KESHIA wrote:

The driving in Saudi is the absolute worst I have EVER seen in my life!!!!  Saudis are totally selfish and arrogant.  Not giving a Damn about anyone or anything but themselves!!!   They speed, drive the wrong way, use phones, drive with their feet on the Dashboard, drive through red lights, jump the queue, go from lane one to five in a second, stop in the middle of the road to have a chat with their friends in a convoy of three cars, not giving a damn about anyone else, Boys of 12 years old driving.  They can't even see over the steering wheel!!!!  They don't even give way to police and ambulance!! How arrogant is that??? You take your life in your hands when you drive there.

I have never seen such bad car accidents as I have in Saudi.  The cars are totally mangled.
the death rate from RTA must be very high.  Every day there are accidents.  They have speed cameras but what is 500 sr to a Saudi? They don't even pay the fine.  They are Spoilt, Selfish people who are allowed to do what they want so they don't give a damn about anyone but them.

You probably haven't seen NYC traffic, its not less than here.

Fines do matter, and things are changing, it will take time, but I have seen much improvement in a few years. 500 once may not be a big deal, but fines add up, and soon they become significant, and eventually make a dent in the pocket, not all Saudis are rich. Also if they don't pay fines, their benefits and services are linked to these fines, like our Iqama would not be renewed if we owed something.

Theres much MUCH room for improvement, and the main factor in having an organized traffic is enforcing laws. Traffic laws are not strictly enforced, which results in reckless driving.

People drive crazy.... No consideration of any safety.
Each day 19 deaths due to road accidents.

Check the same topic about driving in USA, be ready for a shock, almost everything seems the same, just names are different:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 21#2767292

twotimmer wrote:

People drive crazy.... No consideration of any safety.
Each day 19 deaths due to road accidents.

Whats the source for this info?
Please share so we can learn as well.
Thanks

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/caus … y-country/

If suicidal, irresponsible driving is a driving style than most of the drivers here in Saudi will pass a driving test for a driver license. Add to that the ' me first, me first' driving mentality and there the recipe for collisions and deadly accidents.

Years ago, in Riyadh - I (and colleagues) noticed that our company's Sri Lankan driver
(who was responsible for getting 5-6 of us to and from work 2 x a day due to split shifts) never looked before pulling out into traffic, tailgated constantly and displayed any number of other poor driving habits.

When pressed, he admitted that he hadn't even had a driver's license in Sri Lanka let alone in Saudi, so I took it upon myself to get him a proper license.

A couple of weeks later (long story) he was to have his final driver's test and I was there to offer encouragement. 

He hit another car while attempting to parallel park and was promptly PASSED! <eye stare>

I naturally asked the instructor in charge how someone could pass a driver's test with a brand new accident under his belt and he waved me away with, "it was a minor one."

<rolling laugh>

You may note from this link that Namibia has the most traffic fatalities (per capita) in the world.

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/caus … y-country/

And, I'm going to Namibia and renting a 4x4 in January for a film project.  (haw haw)

Saudi is #53    after such notable countries as... UAE (#33)...Jordan (#23)...Yemen (14)...Thailand (6)...Iraq and Iran (4 & 5 respectively).

First of all , driving is matter of common sense, depends on the person courtesy and respect, you will get some people drive reckless and impolite, some give others priorities, but driving in Saudi Roads if don't pay much attention you will lost your live, despite the good roads network in Saudi Arabia, the number of accidents at high rates , due to driving in high speed and wrong overtaking , and  the worst type of rules breaking , you will get someone while stopping in signal , make turn from right to left. Any way driving is different from country to country , but in Saudi Arabia if not being vigilant enough will committed accident.

Guys am sorry to say this but this is the reality , for almost 15 yrs. of driving here in Saudi Arabia it was always
bad experiences on the road. Specially local drivers no proper Manners for traffic rules and road courtesy.
They're very Selfish and arrogant on the road that's why  accident happen every second of the day. they are
The lousiest driver i ever seen.

Saudi Arabia is a nice country with very nice and friendly citizens.  My WORST experience in Saudi Arabia is related to driving.  There is no respect for rules of the roads nor respect for fellow drivers.  In Jeddah for instance, it is near impossible for you to own a new car for 30 days without a minor or major accident.  In the U.S.A. I owned a car for 4 years without accident of any sort.

You see what you intend to see.
I see everything around me beautiful.

Thanks

You're exactly Right my friend. that is why it is not advisable to own a brand new cars in Saudi Arabia. and am very sure about this that once you have brand new car after six months you'll see the changes of your car , it will look like
Rubbish car. Full scratch on the body & damage on the front & back Bumper without knowing who did it on the parking
Area.

I think in order to make thing right here is the Traffic enforcer must give the full attention on their jobs. i can see on my own eyes everyday , young local drivers are playing their cars in the middle of the road and the police are just ignoring
Them because it's the same race. just imagine i saw many times 12 yrs. old kid driving and passing right in front of the
Mobile patrol car and the police is just laughing  when he saw  the kid is driving.

Becuse there is no rules in sudia arabia. The people drive as their style , so you will find out that there is no safty when you drive and you had to be careful always .

Rekeya said:  "Becuse there is no rules in sudia arabia."

I tried that as an excuse to not pay for my speeding ticket.  They would not accept that.

 

The worst bunch of maniacal drivers I have ever experienced

Yes, even the Saudi law changes to allow women to drive, I will NEVER drive in this country ....

Well, I have had my small Car in the kingdom for the past 3 years now and have been driving for almost 5 years now. But i must say that driving in this nation is a very dangerous ordeal if you are unaware of the culture they have here. You must generally possess a balance of offensive and defensive driving skills to tackle the traffic in KSA roads.

Most people here, both Saudis and non Saudi Muqeems seem to be oblivious to the mystical signal lights knob just below their steering wheels and its uses. Don't heighten your expectations about driver courtesy for they drive their cars like the flow of water on a raging rapid. No one will give way if you are not aggressive enough. Most would disregard traffic rules despite having speed cameras and other mechanisms that would supposedly force them to abide safely. Some shabab would blatantly modify their cars by applying substances on their registration plates(sometimes even detach them totally) to avoid getting shot by speed cameras during the time they go nuts and hallucinate to be a Nascar driver on the Hi way. Their drivers screening was supposed to be rigid but the way their testers work is incredibly lax. Child drivers are everywhere especially here in Makkah/ Taif region. Kids at the age of 8 are even seen driving at 160kph on the main hiway during the rush hours.

If you are ever considering to drive in KSA, good luck. You will need it.

You are one of a kind. Frankly you are the first expat to have such experience having to be involved in an accident with a Saudi.

Honestly speaking, just be in your own zone while you drive and be alert. Of course you are the perfect driver, it's the idiot that cuts you off that messes up everything.

Then there are distractions, mobile phone being biggest one of them.

And yes, even if they allow women to drive here, they should just avoid it. The day they allow women to drive, i'm gonna get a female chauffeur to take me around...

It takes TWO bad drivers to have an accident.  IMO.

ReLLeK wrote:

It takes TWO bad drivers to have an accident.  IMO.

Agree with you.

2 bad drivers - 100% accident chances
1 bad driver and 1 good driver - 50% accident chances
2 good drivers - 0% accident chances

Assuming the cars are in good conditions.

exactly...u r the perfect one, and the other one assumes the same too. Hence both of these causing the accident are bad drivers

the driving in Saudi is a big disaster !!!(

fattia7400 wrote:

the driving in Saudi is a big disaster !!!(

And you are among the lucky ones to not to drive

Well I have been living here for a year. Here are my observations

I see chaotic traffic on weekends and not on weekdays
Young crowd is mostly rash
The expensive the car more dangerous is driving

On a positive note, it is far better than India.

I think it is really difficult to gauge the way Saudis drive because you are dealing with millions of expats from all over the word, each bring in his own way of driving.  From all this mixture and relaxed rules you end up with something hard to describe.

the most important rules in KSA:
1/ own a big and visible SUV
2/ Drive with lights on to add visibility
3/ for the guys who still are blind, just use horns to signal your presence 
4/ Finally, spend less time on the left lane where crazy driver go fast
5/ drive like you do with a motorbike, look at 360 and especially at the wheels of next cars, it is the best way than the almost never used turning indicators

lots of newbies in this thread...anywhere I can rate this 5 Stars * * * * *

Great tips oliver

KSA (and Riyadh especially) are the ideal places in the world to learn how to drive. If you manage driving in Riyadh, there is no other place in the world you won't feel comfortable driving in...