An Analysis of Automobile Accidents in Riyadh

A utomobile accidents have become one of the major problems in Saudi Arabia, just as in other parts of the world. Although Islamic rule prohibits half the population—women— from driving and forbids the consumption of alcohol—often cited as a factor in accidents in other count ries—t here were 24,594 traffic accidents involving 40,728 vehicles in Saudi Arabia in 1983. Death and injuries from automobile accidents totaled 3J99 and 21, 475, respectively, according to the General Department of Traffic, Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior. Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, in particular suffers from the problems of traffic congestion and accidents. The city’s dramatic population growth from 1980 to 1983 and the increasing concentration of wealth led to rapid increases in automobile ownership (Figure 1).’ Byproducts of these increases included more frequent traffic congestion and the growth of traffic accidents and fatalities (Figure 2).2 Using statistical data from the Riyadh Traffic Department, the General Department of Traffic,’ and the Central Department of Statistics,’ I performed a series of analyses on automobile accidents in Riyadh. For further studies, I analyzed two other data samples. First, a comprehensive questionnaire that considered various influential factors in traffic accidents was developed and then used to interview 200 drivers who had been involved in automobile accidents in Riyadh. Because Only about 300/. of all accidents were reported and analyzed in the aforementioned three sources of statistics, this sample study was planned to examine characteristics of all automobile accidents. In addition, these data were more up-to-date, flexible, and comprehensive than that of the other studies. The second sample of data was based on the Riyadh Traffic Department’s accident reports for one week in 1983.