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Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
~ ,.II.~.v.c dW oiI,o:w KACST C>,Uf':.J~ f"IlkU
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)800 / <3cr D -2-- 6 D D
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The Driver's Manual for obtaining a Saudi driving license (The approved Curriculum by the Ministry of Interior)
Authors Prof. Abdulrahman I. Alabdulaaly
I'ror. Ali S. AI-Gamedi
Brigadier General (R) Ameen A. Saeed
Engr. Saleh A. AI·Amro
Colonel! Abdulaziz M. M. AI-Merebah
/11 the Name of Allah Most Gracious Most
Merciful
.
Acknowledgement Authors of this manual wo uld like to ex"ress their gratitude to King Abdulaziz City 1m Science & Technology (KACST) for fi lIancial support to prepare this manual as one
or the researches of the National Traffic Safe-
tv Committee. They also thank those who supported them directly or Indirectly speci ally the (ielleral Directorate of Traffic and the Saudi Red Crescent Authority.
\
Preamble Traffi c Safety represe nt a major conce rn for traffic mll horities, who strive to bring into effect, while on the ot her hand, road users hope to secure such safety. With co llective efforts we will all fec i it' s tangi ble effects. This manual, with it' s scientific content ai ms at 1l()()\l ing practical traffic awareness levels of vehicle's drivers in the Kingdom's roads. The manua l was prepa red by a learn of specia lized professors and hi ghly pmfcss ionai orfic ia ls. liS comprehe nsiveness and simplicity in present ing information shall serve as the best )!uidance for those seeking to learn driving and/or enhancing and imp lementing safe drivi ng sk ills. 1'0 alla in the objective of this manual. special COIl.deration was made to its assortment into chapters in tl'lm of diversity and sequence of infommtion to make II lIluch easier for the beneficiaries, We hope this manual meets the proposed object ive .lIld acq uires sati sfact ion.
In pursuance of God wi ll GenerallFa hd bin Sa ud AI-Bisher I)ircctor of the General Directorate fo r Traffic
VII
Table of Content Ack nowledgment
v
Preamb le
VII
L.lhlc of Content
IX
Introd uction 1. To whom this Manual
2. Driving License
~md
3
important information
7
2· I Obtain ing a Saud i Drivi ng License
9
2-2 Individuals obliged ce nse
10
10
obtain a driving li-
2-3 Types of driving Licenses
10
2-4 Driving license test procedures
10
2-5 Other information about driv ing license
11
Qu i!.
14
Kult
Ul.ltiun'S
15
1- 1 Traffic rules
17
.1-2 Driving conditions
23
.1·3 Seat belt
26
.1-4 Insurance
28
1-5 The points system
29
Quiz
31
4. Roads and Traffic Signs
33
4- 1 Road intersections
36 IX
4-2 Road signs
37
4-3 Work zones signs
46
4-4 Traffic control at intersections
47
Quiz
50
S. Safe Driving
53
5- 1 Speed
55
5.2 Running red light
55
5.3 Drifting (Tafheeth)
57
5-4 Using the mobile while driving
57
5-5 Defensive driving
57
5-6 Ru les that must be known
58
Quiz
61
6,
Sharjn~
thl' Road nith Others
63
6- 1 Pedestrians
65
6-2 Bicycles
65
6-3 Persons with disability
66
6-4 Schools students
67
6-5 Emergency vehicles
68
6-6 Road works
69
Quiz
70
7. The Vehicle
71
7- 1 Tires
73
7-2 Veh icle's breakdowns
78
7-3 Emergency conditions
80
x
82
Qu iz
8. T raffic Accidents
~.
83
8- 1 Avoiding accide nts
85
8.2 Co llid ing with came ls
88
8.3 The acc ident 's si te and crowd ing
90
8-4 Intensity of the traffic acc ident
9J
8-5 How to act when you sec an acc ident ?
91
8.6 Stopping acute bleed ing
93
8.7 Hazardous materials
95
8.8 Factors influ enci ng d ri ving
97
Qui z
100
Uchaviors tha t lead to license suspension
10 1
'IJIJ
105
'1':lblcs of the traffic violations pursuant to the trar-
ne Act
\lJl'cndix (2) I'nl ffic signs and signals. ......... ............................ 115
x,
Introduction Th is manual is intended to enhance your dnving
,I.. II Is whether you are applying for a dri vi ng permit , license or you already have one and wi she!) tn keep .lhreast of the latest traffic ru les and regulat io ns. Oblall1ing a driving liccm.e is i.\ privilege not a nght; it entails a declared acceptance to com pl y with the traffic rules and regulation s to maintain safety and L'curit y of our roads. Thus you arc entitled to consider .. 11 road users and be alert to road su rpri ses that you lIlay encoun ter any timc. Obtaining a Saudi driving license means you are lX'rmittcd to drive a vehicle on public roads, not that )OU are immune from encountering a traffic accident. rilUS you are requ ired to be al ways cautious, since ,k ill alone is not enough to avoid road risks and su rpn~es.
You are required to rcad thi s manual carefully. The IIIformalion presented in th is manual is not just essenIml for passing the driving lest, but it is intended "by God will" to preserve your safety and the safety of ro.\d users.
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1
To whom this Manual
Th is manual is intended for: Applica nts for Driving Pennit. Applicants for Driving License. T hose hold ing non-Saudi driving license and required to obtain a Saudi driving license. Drive rs with driving experience who wish 10 fami li'.lrizc themse lves wide ly with the traffic reguhlti ons and driving rules of conduct, or obtaining addit iomll or updated infonnat ion about traffic rules and defensive driving.
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2
Driving License and important information
-7-
2· 1 Obtaining a Saudi Driving License Those who compl eted 18 years are e nti tled to ob· t'l in a private dnving license and motorb ikes dnving licc nce, wh ile who completed 20 years are entitled to lotam a ge neral d nvmg license and driving public work s vechlclcs. Those who comp leted 17 years may ohtain a temporary pcrmit valid for onc year to drive a pn vate veh icle. Apph cJnt s for driving license or a driving permit arc sUb.jected to vi sion test and are requ ired to pass the lollowing two tests : 1. Written tcst 2. Practical test Apphcants wuh health constrains that reqUires medical exammatlon to asses their eligibility to dnvc, shall undertake to reveal this upon apply ing for a driving license. First tjrne applicants are requi red to enroll in a driving training qua li fication course at an accredited lraining school in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. CerIlficates obtai ned fOffil such schools shall not by itself q ualify a person for road driving. unless he refers to the concerned traffic directorate to obtain a dri ving lice nse or permit. The driving training course is intended to enhance driver's theoret ical knowledge and prac· tical skill of veh icles driving , s uch as traffic regulations, traffic signs and their connotations, sa fe and defensive driving, and how to deal with vehicles break downs and emergency situations.
"ritten test questions are hased on inforrmt· tion contained in this numu.l1.
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2-2 Individuals obliged to obtain a driving license Any citizen or resident expatriate driving a veh icle on public roads is obliged to obtain a driving license. Visitors are allowed to drive private vehicles on the authority of a valid international driving license or their countries of origin driving license. The duration of this allowance expires upon the expiry of the driving license or the vis it period. In both cases the allowance duration sha ll not exceed one year. It is strictl~ prohibited to drhc a 'cchictc on the roads "ithout ohtainlng un adc1luate ,alid licensc or IIl'rmil
2-3 Types of Driving Licenses There are four types of driving licenses: I. Private driving license: issued to those driving pri-
vate vehicles with a gross weight of not more than 3.5 tons. 2. Genera l driving license, the type and category of the pcnn ittcd vehicle is specified in the license. 3. Public works vech icles driv ing license. 4. Motorcycle drivi ng license. 2-4 Driving license test procedures
-Test location The written test, vision test and practical test may be conducted at any traffic department assigned to that purpose. Written test is requ ired for fi rst lime applicants and fo r those intending to obtain another differe nt type of dri ving license, while vision test is required in all cases.
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Pr.lclice Field al a Driving Training School
Test components I. Vision test to ensure the applicant visual ability to see things clearly. 2. Written test on traffic rules, road signs, principles of traffic safety; to assess the applicant knowledge of the traffic rules and safe vehicle operation. The test questions arc based on infonnation contained in this manual. The test comprises many questions and lasts for 30 minutes. A minimum passing score of 80% is required. 3. Practical driving test requires a vehicle in a good cond ition, with good brakes, tires, head and tai l lights, brake lights, signal lights, side and rear mirrors and wipers. The practical driving test provides the applicant with an opportunity to prove his ability to drive safely accompanied with a traffic officer who provides clear instructions without requesting illegal deeds.
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Applicants shall obser ve the rollowing points in the driving test:
* Use of seat belt. * Control over the steering wheel.
* Use of acce lerator. • Use of hand brake. • Use of foot brake. • How to start mov ing the veh icle. • Use of mirrors. * Reverse movement and ap propriate parking.
* Use of signa l li ghts. • How to turn left and right.
* Watch for pedestrians. • The distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead.
* Wat ch out others around when intending to pass.
* Avoid other's mi stakes. • Compliance with the traffic signs and signal s.
* Observe the right-of-way .
* Driving in a single and multi-lane roads. * Focused and disciplined driving behavior. such as busy with mobile phone.
*
U-turn in a si ngle-lane road.
* Expect ing road surpri ses. * Comp liance with tra ffic rules and regulations. - 12-
2·5 Other information about the driving license The Traffic authority main tains the right to sus· Ix:nd the procedure of obtain ing a driving license or it's renewal in the following instances: Supply invalid information in the app lication fo rm. Lack of the required driving skill . The existence of a health problem that may result in unsafe driving. Unpaid traffic violation tickets. Presentation of fake documents.
f
Falsifinltion' of the driving license cnt~lils severe punishments
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Quiz Q I. Ilriving vehicles on the roads is stricUy prohibited without: A. Obtaining a dri ving license or drivi ng permit.
B. Switch on the vehicles lights. C. Use eye glasses. D. All of lhe above.
Q2. Obtaining your driving license means: A. Accepting the res ponsibility to comply with the traffic rules and reg ulations. B. That you arc immune from encountering a traffic accide llt . C. Thai you became a sk illed driver. D. All of the above.
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3
Traffic Rules & Regulations
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3- 1 Trame rules Traffic has rules that must be observed. Preaching those rules increases the poss ibility of engagi ng into traffic accident. The following are some of these ru les: A. Speed limits: Over speed ing is the major cause of fatal accidents. Drive rs are not supposed to exceed the speed lim it beyo nd necessitated by the road ci rcumstances and the , urroundi ng environment. Drivers shall not alw.lYs l'om ply with driving with in speed limit; inste'ld they IllWH consider the road situatio n, weather conditions and the surrounding ci rcum stances (such as rain, fog, ' tmm, congestion. maintenance work, poor visibility ilt night). <.; pced limit differs in residential areas and nonresident ial areas, within urban zones and rural areas, in ' tra ig ht roads, curves and intersections.
Speed
limil ,ign
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Dri vers should comply with the fo llowing speed limits if there are no speed limit signs. Vehiclc Type
Max imum speed Km/h
Light Vehicles wi thi n urban zooes
50
Light Vehicles in rural roads
120
Hcavy trucks within urban zones
30
Hcavy trucks in rural roads
70
Dn\crs should comltJcr road ClfcUlmtances .md \\cather condItIons VehIcle speed ~hould not always reach the specified ~peed limit
8. Driving lanes There are spec ified rules regul ating the use of road lanes. Dri vers shall comply with these rul es while driving to mai ntain other's right-of-way and avoid traffi c acc idents. You should always signal your intension to shift between lanes (change Janes)and e nsure that others are aware of thi s.
C. The right-or-way Means the dri ver's right to continue dri ving. You should respec t other's right on the road , since they are entit led to the same right-of-way . In general the ri ght remain s with those driving in straight direction. Yielding the road right-of-way has specific situations and places such as:
- Roold ilccess / exit: in access ing a main road. a dri ver mu st yield the right -of-w::1Y to other vehicles in the main road
*
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* In exiti ng a main road a driver must yie ld the rightof-way to other vehicles in the serv ice road. • Intersections • The rou ndabout: driver must yield the right-or-way to vehicles inside the roundabout. * Intersect ions with no traffi c control (no traffi c li ght , stop sign or yield sign): the driver must yield the right-of-way to veh icles coming from the ri ght side. • Emergency vehicles Dri vers must yie ld the ri ght-or-way to emerge ncy vehicles. D. Rules of passing Driving sometimes requires pass ing other vehicles; but thi s may result into acc ide nts, if the safety traffic rules were not o bserved. The following arc some important rules for pass ing othe r vehicles: Ensure a sa fe di stance between your vehicle and the vehic le YO ll inte nd to pass. * Ensure there is no other ve hicles in the lane yo u in tend to move to. • Check the tmrti c behind your vehicle (use the mirror). Signa l your intension to the right or left, as required Move to the other lane, but remember you may need to accelerate your speed to pass, provided YO ll sbould not exceed the speed limit. Ensure there is no other ve hi cles in the blind areas around your vehicles, by look ing around and qu ick ly resume back to your norm;,l1 position.
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the appropriate before paSSin!! another vehIcle
Blind arca~ arc the arC;JS to thc right and Icli of the \chlde, \\ hllh the drJ\er can not ~cc llnlc~~ b} looking UrollnJ In the nght .mu left
E. Prohibited passing situations pass ing is prohibited in the following situations:
* When there is poor visiblity. * When incoming traffic from opposite direction do not allow safe pass ing. In the intersections, railrodas, bridges and pedestrian s cross ings. * In curves, hilly areas, slopes, squares and slippery roads. * When the vehicle you intend to pass is mov ing faster Ih an your vehicle. • [11 areas where passing is prohibited. • When the vehicle you intend to pass started already passing a vehicle ahead. * When a vehi cle behind you started pass ing. * In lanes marked with continolls line, • When sc hool buses SlOp for child ren 10 board or exit.
*
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Passi ng is pro hibit<."
Pa~" ing is prohibited nC;lr
rail road imcrM!Ction
F. Vision and stoPP:Jge distance Sometimes a driver is confronted with an object on the rond such as pedestrian~. anima ls or a brokendown vehicle. In such cases the driver is required to stop before colliding with these objects. Stopping a trave ling vehicle requires a dista nce thm is known as the stoppage distance: it compri ses of two parts: fi rst. the di stance traveled bet ween the rea lization and reaction time. i.e the moment the dri ver sees a body and rea li l..es thiJt there is an obstacle ahead: the vehicle during thi s part travels with its orig inal speed. The second part represents the d istance required for the veh icle to come into a compl ete stop whi le the driver applying lhe brakes. - 21-
" Upon applying the brake wh ile drivi ng, the vehicle travel s for a distance before coming to a complete stop. The lengt h o f such d istance depends on a nu mber of factors; such as the veh icle's speed at the ti me the driver applies the brakes, friction coe ffic ient betwecn the vehicle's tires and the road surface, incl ination of the road and the ti res quality. Vehicles travel ing at high speed req uire more distance to come to a comp lete stop. As shown in the fo llow ing table, if the veh icle speed is 30 km/h, it requi res 30m to come to a com plete sto p. This distance mult iplies 10 206m (seven times approximate ly) when the speed reaches lOOkm/h.Drivcrs shall a lways not exceed the spec ified speed limit, at the same time they shall consider the road ci rcumstances and adapt thei r speed accordi ngly. It is wort h mentioning that driv ing at night req uires more alert since the vis ibil ity range provided by the front light is shorter than the stoppage distance. To avoid this prob lem drivers are advised to reduce speed as much as poss ible without affecting ot her vehicles on the road.
G. Keep Safe Distance Drivers shall always mai ntai n a safe distance behind the veh icle ahead. T he safe distance varies according to vehicle speed, it is longer as the speed acce lerates and shorter as vehicle slows. The safety rules requires to allow th ree meters from the vehicle ahead for each 10km of the vehicle speed ; e.g. the safe follow ing distance for a vehicle traveli ng al 90km/h shall be 27-30m. If the average vehicle length is 6m, the safe distance shall be equal to fi ve vehicles length.
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Stoppage distance as per vehicle's speed Speed (Km/h)
30 40 50 60
70 80 90
100 110 120
Distance traye led before responding by applying the bmke (m)
Distance tmveled after flppl ying the brake (m)
21 28 35 42 49 56 63 70 77 84
Distance tmyeled before the vehicle completely .slopped (III)
9 17 29 43 63 84 107 136 170 204
30 45 64
85 11 2 140 170 206 247 288
Drh IIIg Conditions \. Driving within urban zones Driving with in urban zones req ui res skill s that difler fro m drivin g outside urban zones; thus drivers .. hall observe the fo ll owing: Continuous atten tion to vehicles approach ing from side roads. Patience in slow traffic. Alert to pedestrians spec ially til the vic in ity of school s, mosques and hospitals. Plan ahead for you r destination prior to departure and choose the adequate road. Alert to any unex pected situati on that may occur while driving.
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*
Minimi ze chang ing lanes as much as poss ibl e. * Avoid being di stracted while dri ving. * Comply with the specified s peed limit. * Use the horn in case o f ex treme necessity. * Yield the ri ght-or-wuy to emergency ve hicles and o ffi cial parades. * S ig nal your intensio n when shiftin g lanes or ex iting one road 10 ano ther. B- Driving on highways Mosl hi ghways ass ign spec ific lanes to acce lerate o r decelerate to e nable drivers to adjust their speed to merge s moothl y with the mo ving traffic. Upon enterin g a hi ghway observe the fo llowing: • S ig nal your intensio n. * Acce lerate your speed g mdu all y to match the highway traffi c. * Be cauti ous in e ntering the right lane o f the hi ghway and merge smoothl y wi th the traffi c when safe, or otherwi se you may stop at the center of the acce leration lane. y ie ld the rig ht -or-way and enter when the path is c lem·. Upon exi ting a highway it is advisable to consider the fu llowi ng:
*
Signal your int cll'. io n. Move to the In ne adjacent to the ex it lane w ith a suitable d istance. • Enler the ex it la ne before slow ing down. * Start slow in g down upon e nterin g the ex it lane III preperalio ll 10 ex it the hi ghway.
•
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Emrancc r.IIl1P
c- Driving during night Poor vision at ni ght requires slowing speed ; it rc;.lI so attention to thc bright lights that temlXlrarL1y arrcct your vision, Avoid looking direct ly to those lights.
4l1 irc~
To prevent dazz ling other dcrivers in the opposite d ircc tion usc the low beam hCi.ld light s while driving. Remember to switch o n your vehicl e's lig ht s 30 minutes berore sunset and ti ll 30 minutes after ~ un fiSC,
It is recommended to adopt the rollowing while driv ing at ni ght :
*
Park you r vehicle hy the side o r the road and laJ..e rest when you reel tired or sleepy.
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* Maintain eyes movement and avoid fi xatin g. * Never use sun g lasses at night. * Always use the head lig ht s. and don't confine to the *
small lights instead. Your driving speed should be less than the spec ified speed limit.
.1-3 Scat licit Resei.lrches and studies confirm that using seat belt has contributed positively to the reduction of injuries and its fata l effects in traffic acc iden ts. Here arc some facts about the scat belt: * The seat belt protects the body from colliding with components within o r outside the vehicle and even with other passengers. * To remain in side the vehicle during co lli sio n is safer thall to be thrown o ut. * Seat be lt is required even in short trips si nce traffic accidents within urban areas are more frequent than in rllral areas. * Ch ildren are always ill need for protectio n from acc ident s. child seats he lp. * Scat bel! does not harm pregnant women. * Seat be lt in the rear seats has the same effect as in the fronl seal. * Seal belt secure the driver behind the steering whee l. Ihi s sha ll help him to control the veh icle in case the vehicle losl balance for any eme rgency or acc ident. - 26-
Not using the seal belt affects the e ffic iency of the ai r bags in protecti ng the driver and the passenger during acc idents God fo rbids.
f lO W
f-a~temng seat belt IS oblJgatory to the dri\ef and the
front seat passenger. Ql1klren younger than ten)Clli"S 01 age are not allowed to SIt tn the front scat
the se.lt belts work during accidents?
In each acc ident there are in fa ct two separate co lli sions: First: the vehicle co lli sion, as it coll ides with an object and stops; the second , whi ch is the pa infu l one, because it in vo lves human co lli sions, it happens when passengers colli de with an object, which is norm all y a com ponent of the vehi cle, or an object outside it. Without scat belts passengers continue move ment according to the ori g inal speed of the vehi cle and collide with objects such as steerin g whee l, the windscreen, the back side of the seat s, or any other component in side or o ut side the vehicle. Seal be lts help in avoid ing this type of co lli sion. Those who uses seat belt are less subject to collide with other objects.
low to fasten the "'eat belt appropriatel}
* Ensure the
seat belt is not tw isted.
Ensure fasten ing your scat belt
- 27 -
*
Th e belt sha ll be lowered as possi ble.
*
Tighten belt o n the chest & stomach.
Fasten ing scat belt is obligatory to the driver and the front scat passenger
Child Scat
Remember that the traffic regulations in the Kingdom requires drivers to place firmly children younger than 10 years of age to an appropriate scat equipped w ith safety belt. Children of sma ll bodies frame even if they are o lder than ten years of age must be firmly placed to an uplifted seat before fastening the seat belt , and ensure that the seat belt is not passing arou nd the neck since it might cause suffocation .
3.4
In~tUrant'e
The traffic regulations obligate any vechicJe's owner to have a third party co-operati ve insurance policy. In addition to the prominent significance of insurance ill d isputes sett lement between parties involved in accidents and it's role in securing the consequent material rights, it al so has a role to play in traffi c sarety. That is beca use the insurance premium reduced as far as the driver is abid ing by the traffic regulations and doesn't commit traffic violation or invo lved in acc idents as a party at fault. You can obta in
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Ilw lIl ~ u~a n cc policy from the authorized insurancc
\ IIlllpallles . •
Drhers c.;hould ah\a~s he sure thut the~ c~lrr~ till,.' insuranl,."e polic~
~
it
s~stun
Pursuan t to this system a number of poi nt s arc allol,lted to trarric viol;:ttio ns according to the nature of
tl1l' violat ion and the danger it represent s to the traffic "IIt' ty (see the following tab le) in such n way that the nu mber o f poin ts expresses the magnitude o f the vio1.lllIlIl in te rms of degree of its impact on the driver ,lIld the safety of others on the road. Whe n a dri ver l'tlll llllits a traffi c vio lation the respective presc ribed p01ll1s are reg istered in the driver's record and will no t Ix' omitted before the e lapsi ng of o ne year fro m the date of this vio lation, prov ided that the driver should not have committed another violatio n during the .lIlle year. Whe n the accumulated points in the drivn'~ record reHehes 24. the traffic regulation call s for .. uspe nding hi s license for a spec ifi c period of lime.
1>0 )0011 kno\\ Ihat! i-:xcessin' SPCI,.'tf and runnin~ n red light ("onslitutes the majority urthe rc~istered traffic viulaliOJ1s illlhc Kingdom's roads and the~' h,l\c direct impacl on the Ol'CUl"I"cnce of many traffic accidl'nts
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.. Traffic Violation Points Viola!ion tyJ>C
Violation type
Point~
Painh
Driving under alcohol or drugs influence
24
Passing ill arcas in which passing is prohibited
6
Drining (Tafllcclh)
2'
Slopping over railroads
6
Running the traffic light red
12
25 KIII PH over posted
Oll
Driving a vehicle in the
opposite direction of traffic flow Maneuvering in high speed between vchicles on public roads
Exceeding speed limit (l-
limit)
4
12
Driving wit hin unauthorizcd lanes
,
8
Pa~sing school buses when children arc boarding or exiting
Failure to comply with
the traffic police dircclions
8
or lights
4
Carrying out modifica-
Driving a vchide without brake~
Failure to secure (covering and tyi ng up) a transported load
4
8
l ions to a vchicle's chas-
4
sis or trunk without observing the required procedures. Failure to completely stop at stop sign Fail ure to yield to the right-of- way Exceeding speed limit (more than 25 Km PH over posted limit ) Failure to yield to the right-of-way to vehicles comi ng from the left in roumjabout,
6
Failure to use seat belt
2
6
Using ce ll phone by hand while driving
2
Not wearing a helmet while driving motorbikes
2
6
6
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~...
(
)
OJ. The speed limit for light sed~m vehicle within urban Lones is: A~ 70 km/h~ B. 6Okm/h ~
C.
5 5km/h~
D ~ 5Okm/h ~
1)2. Is it a must to comply with the speed limit under all rircumstances? A. Yes under all circumstances. B. You must not always comply; instead you must consid· cr the road condition, weather conditions and the sur· rou nding circumstances. C Upon the driver's desire. D. All of the above. ).\. The blind are.. is defined as: I\. The area w hich can be seen without mov ing one's head. n T he area w hich cannot be secn without moving one's
head. area which cannot be seen through the rear milTOf. area which cannol be seen at all.
(' ' n l C I). T he
)4. The traffic rCJ,;uJution in the Kingdom obligates hath the driver und the passenger to usc the scat belt on: /I. All roads. B. Some roads. ( ' Highways only. D. Within urban zones. '\. If a drh'er runs the red light, the number of points to be registered ugainst him is: 1\ 2 poi nts. B. 3 poi nts. (' 4 poin ts. D. 12 points. rl.
Requirements of driving in urban zones:
.\ A ttention to pedestrians. B. Planning ahead for you r destination prior to depal1ure and choose the adequate road. {' Be alert 10 any unexpected s ituation that may occur while driving. D. All of the above.
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-
r
4
Roads and Traffic Signs
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,\ road is not merely the 1'.1111 designated for veh icles olll y. hut it al so includes the houlders, sidewalk s, bicycles I III, ". buses and vehicles parkIII pedestrian's crosswalks Itld emergency and mainte11 Ull'l' veh icles lanes. Moreo\ I I roads have their own trafI II "'g ns s uch as the posted 11'11\. paveme nt markings and lI.d ftc signals.
Express highway
I ypcs of roads differ according to their usages, 10-
and engineering designs. There are express ili l' hw':lYs, dual roads and single lane roads. Each one III thl'se types of roads has its respective traffic rul es 1'111 'lIa n! to the nature of its engineering design. ,II Ions
I )nvmg on the road entails abiding by the speed 1111111 for that particular road and by it s signs and 1II,1I)..lI1gS, whether those posted on the road sig ns, or .II pldyed on the pavement.
Single lane road
Dual lane road
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4-1 Road Intersections A road intersectio n is the point where one road or more intersec ts, whi ch ind icates that vehicles com ing fro m difrerent d irectio ns mcct each other. T hi s may increase the probab ili ty of co ll isio n occurrence between them if anyone of these vehi cles drivers ignores the traffic reg ul at io ns co nt rolling the tmffic at that intcrsect ion, or if he docs not show enoug h cau tion and alertncss when approaching that intcrsect io n. Moreover, road in tcrsections, espec ially inside cit ies. are uscd as crosswalks for pedestrians and are determined by p.lvement markings designated for them, which entails that a driver should stop berore the pedestrian crosswal k. T he statist ics of the traffic accidents emphas ize tha t a high percentage of urban zone acc idents occu r at intersections. which mean s that these locat ions are potentia l places for acciden ts and that a dri ver shou ld consider this when approaching in tersections.
Different shapes of intersections. There are many shapes of intersections. bUlt hc most common ones arc as follows:
-
T-shapcd intcrsccion
- 36-
Round-about imcrsccl ion
(+) sign imcn;cct ion
;cncral Rule At the intersec tion of two roads whe re there is no tra ffic s ig na l. you shou ld a lways yie ld the righ t-ofway to vehicles com ing from the right directio n. unless the inte rsect ion is a ro undabou t, in which case the right-of- way shou ld be yielded to the drive r com ing from the left.
4-2 Road Signs A- Traffic Signs. 1- Regulatory Signs. Regul atory signs a re used to aq ua int the dri ver and a ll road use rs with traffi c regu 1<11 io ns. pro hibit ion .... - 37 -
and restrictions that sou ld be observed while driving or using the road. - Prohibition Signs Circular white sign s with red frames indicate proh ibition, e.g. No U-turn, No entry .. ctc.
o
0
®
No entry from this side
No U-tum
No waiti ng area
No left tum
No park.ing & No lVaiting arcll
- Mandatory Signs Blue Roundcd signs direct the driver to a certain action , e.g. mandatory direction to ri ght or left
0
Mllndlltory forward Go stmight
= =
Mandatory Jeft Go left
Mlllld;l!ory dir<: tioll Tum ri ght
Mandatory right Go right
M.mdmory Directi ons gIl strd ight or U tum
- 38-
There are other mandatory signs with other shapes, the most common or wh ich is the yie ld the right-orway signs.
' . Warning Signs
The whi te triangular signs with red frames indi cate warn ing or hazard
& & ~ ~ 8\ &
Cluncl crossing
Dangerous (:urvcsfirst right sharp
"'"",
Road works
Traffic light
Dangcroos curves- Dangerous left curve first left sharp bends sharp bend to the Icft
Pedestrian crosswalk
Road rwrrows both sides
- 39-
.f
3- Guide Signs Guide signs arc lIsed to gu ide and direct drivers and all road users to towns, villi ages, roads and other important locations along the journey. Rectangular and square sig ns with differe nt
colors direct the driver tal s. gas station, ... eel.
signs indicating cities and vlJlagcs direction
10
places such as hospi-
~ m R c~ t:lumnt
Ilos-pital
Gasoline \ 1:llion
4- Signs of utmost I mportance
(Speed- li mit) s igns: or what is known as the maxi-
mum or speci fied speed. These sings are usuall y white w ilh a ci rcular shape and red frame with the speed limil wfill e n in black.
(S lOp) S ig n: This sign indicates that the driver must come 10 a comp lete SlOP when see ing it. They arc in
red co lor of e ig lll -s ided 51Hlpe wilh the word (SlOp) written in white. The " SIOP" s ign is frequent ly lI sed and when seei ng itlhe driver should do the following:
- 40-
• l
Stop completely at the ~IOp linc (
Proceed with driving. If there are lIlore than one vehicle stopping al the "Stop Sign" al the interseclion. Ihe rirst vehicle to reach there have the right 10 pass lhe intersection firM.
The driver mU~1 ('Ollie 10;L
complete stop when seeing "SIOp sign"
- 41 -
\l
(Yield) Sign: Thi s sign indi cates yield ing the right-of-way. It is used frequent ly at roundabout intersection s or at the intersections that have no traffi c lights or stop sign. The yield sign is a white triangular with its apex down and a red frame. When you see thi s sign at an the intersection it indicates that you can cross with caution and observe the followin g: I. Slow-down to stop if you notice that there are some vehicles or pedestrians at the intersection. You should stop before the SLOp line (a white continous line) 2. If you do not see any vehicles or pedestrians at the intersection, you should first slow-dow n and then proceed driving across the intersection with caution and attention. (No Entry) Sign: This sig n indicates prohibiting the entrance of a road and in most cases it indicates that some vehicles are coming through this road. It 's shape is ci rcular and its co lor is red with a white horizontal line in the middlc ..
8-Pavement Markings Pavement markings spread widely on roads. Some are in the shape of specific lines or symbo ls in the p.lvement with certai n co lo rs. such as the white and yellow lines. and some are jUlling out signs above the pavement such as the cat eyes and cera mic.
The pavement markings are divided into three types: First Second Third
Longitudinal markings. Transversal mark ings. \ymbols
- 42-
I he Longitudinal Markings I'hese representlhe lines found ill the center of the ,oad or that divides the lanes.
I ht' center of the road lines: I hl' Broken White Lines You .. hould drive to the right side o f these Imes or drive over them or cross them to pilS" another vehicle or to take a left turn.
ht· conti nuous ' ''hite Lines You .. hould drive to the ri ght of thi s line ,uRI it is prohibited to cross it or to turn Idt
Ilu Multiple ' ''hite Lines You IIllist drive to the right side of these IJIll'S \ 10 ....
and it is absolutely prohibited them or to turn left.
to
continuous and Broken White Li ne.
I
III this situation there are two pos itions;
I h Broken Li ne by you r side. 'Otl
ca n cross the line and turn left
Broken Line by the other side: It ,.. prohibited to cross the line or to turn Ii'll
I 'Il· ... dividing lines: I hl'''C are broken white lines to di vide 11,lIlIc lanes and allow shifting from one I.lIll· to :.mother after lIsing the appropriate .1).' llallig hts and making sure that the lane ~IIU IIltcnded to shin to is clcar of vehi,k ...
- 43 -
II
2. Transversal Markings
*
The horizonta l line at Intersectio ns: T his line ind icates the po int before which a dri ver must sto p befo re apprO
3. Painted Signs • Arrows. * Arrows to determi ne the traffi c d irection: these arc mostly located at poi nts ind icat ing thai a cross- road is ncar. For ex am ple, an arrow poi nting to left ind icatcs that the lane is des ignated for turn ing left.
*
Arrows ind icat ing to drivers that the end of the l,me is near and lhal the driver must merge wit h another lane .
• Special Signs.
*
At some roads there are pavements signs which indic ..lle the type of road usage, for examp le, the bicycle symbo l indicates that the lane is designa ted to bicycles, and a hand icapped cha ir symbo l indicates a place fo r uplifting o r down-lifti ng d isab led pe rso ns or fo r disabled vehicles parking.
- 44-
(
T raffic Lights Red light ind icates "SlOP" and must be a comp lete stop. G reen light ind icates that a d ri ver is perm itted to move to enter into the intersection . It is always prefe rab le to e nsure that vehicles at other sides of the inte rsection arc at complete stop. Yellow ligh t ind icates that a d ri ver must prepare himself to stop and it is always pre ferable to stop when the yellow light is o n if possible.
I
=
The Traffic Signals Arrows: T he arrow determi nes the traffic flow direc tion, e it her ahead, to the right or to the left. t\ rcd arrow ind icates that the driver must SlOp complete ly"complelc stop" . 1\ !! recn arrow indicates that the driver can proceed or continue driving in the same lhrcction of the arrow. 1 Fhls hing Lights Yellow nashing light: Indicatcs that you can cross rill' IIllc rsec lion withoLit stopping bU I with ulmost cau I UII1 mca nin g that you should slow down and mal.:e ,tlrl' Ihm the intersection is clear of any other vehicl c~ ,!tll ilhen proceed safely. Red Flashing Light: Means Ihat the driver should 'lime to a complete stop to ensure that the intersectioll I dear of any olher vehicles and then proceed safe ly.
, Pl'Clestrian Signals: l'l:deslrian signa ls allow pedestrians to when it is permitted anel safe 10 cross the
~1l0W Iliad.
I Ill' a ppe~\rall ce of a symbol of person or a
- 45 ·
raised hand in a red light indicates that pedes· trians must stop and not cross the road. A grecn light indicates allowing the pedestrians to cross.
4.3 Work Zones Signals A work zone means that part of the road is under maintenance and excavation works, whi ch cau ses a slowdown of traffic. In most cases, one lane, or more, is completely closed at thi s part of the road, leading consequentl y to establi sh a detour which guides the drivers to cross the work zone smoothly and sa fe ly. The traffic signs posted at the work zo ne focus on two main fun ctions, namely: 1- Warnin g the driver of a worki ng zone and indicat· ing the speed limit in thi s section of the road. 2. Guide the dri ver and direct him to the i
>
Change J Irc.:tion
L!1
Road narrow, on ri glll
.--
~··~l
[)cWur
£
Road narrows on left
- 46-
I~~'~-" _-", t, I PropmeJ
~pccd
&
Right lane clofICd
~>-"':':.!L;,...
~>-.....
""'_......,AO
• ....
Delour ahead
Warni ng sign on a
Dr;TOUFI
~.
Dctour2km
Cone wilh flag
post
Barrel
Work zone signs are mostly in orange co lor
4·4 Traffic control at intersections The types of traffic contro l may differ regard less III the intersection's shape and the diversity of the mntrol devices as per the traffic dev ice used, as fo l. lows:
Traffic sigml! conlrol
- 47-
Stop sign control
Yield
~ign
control
Traffic I'olicc Control
- 48-
Rou ndabout lntersection
a
At the roundabo ut you see the yie ld ~ which indicates that you sho uld \ 1I,.' ld the right-of-way 10 the vehicles inHll' the roundabout approaching from lilt' left. In case of pass ing or many vchi\ k ... inside the roundabout you m~ly enIn whe never YOll find an appropriate space amongst tlll' lIl which allows you to enter without d ist urbin g the \I' hides in side the roundabout ,l g II
Right-or-way in the mundilbout is to dri ven. approaching from len
[)o "ou know? The numher oflru!1ic \iolaliol1" rl'AiSlI:rl'd on the Kingdom's rtluds durinJ! thl' periud 1980-2008G \.l'el'dl'd 8_' millinn \'iolutions at the rutl' of 4 milliun \'inlutions pl.'r )'cur
- 49 -
Q ui z
Q.l A Circuhu sign with a \Vhite Color background and red frame always indicates: A. B.
e.
D. Q2. A.
B.
e.
D.
Mandatory. Warning. Prohibition. Regulation.
This sign means No Park ing & wait ing. No left turn. Do 1101 enter. No U turn.
Q3. This sign indicates: A. B. C. D.
Maximum speed is 70 Kmlh. Minimum speed is 70 Kmlh. Average speed is 70 Km/ h. All of the above.
- 50-
\ white continuous line with a broken line at the other side indicates: A
B. (' D.
Pass in g and turning left. Pass ing and turning rig ht. No pass ing o r turnin g le ft. Do not stop.
The Shape or the Yield Sign is: ,
n (' I).
A triang le with apex lip. Square. A tria ngle w ith apcx down. C ircu la r.
- 5 1-
5
Safe Driving
- 53 -
SI)ccd T he main purpose of specifing a maximum speed for vehicles on the road is to enhance safety through el iminating the ri sks resulting from the tendency of the drivers lO choose a speed which they beli eve is reaso nable. The posted s peed limit s represent the max imum speed the driver is legall y allowed to drive wi thin its range. However, the driver s hould take into t'onsideralion thaI Ihi s speed lim it suit s the engineering design of the road and sa fety measures applied to it. A road des ign based on a specific speed and exceed ing thi s speed will represent a vio lation to the engi neering safety measures of that road and consequently creating a risk of having a traffic acc ident. T here is another matter of significan t importance; the speed lim it is specified assuming natural conditions and circumstances such as good weather conditions, day light, clearance of any traffic jam or maintena nce work or any other ci rcumstances wh ich may hinder the traffic. Therefore. the driver should choose a speed that suits the road cond itions without exceeding the specified speed . Always remember th at 40% of the traffic accidents in the Kingdom are caused by cxcessi ve speeds. T he vehicl e's speeds can be detected by radars and .. urveillance cameras.
2 Running red light Passing the traffic light o n red is call ed " running the traffic s ignal". Thi s problem together with Ihe excess ive speed can be cons idered the main cause o f fa I.t! accidents in our country. The entering of a vehicle mto the intersection whi le the signa l is on red m ca ll ~ that the driver has comm itted a vio lation , name ly the running of the traffic s ignal. Therefore. s lowi ng down the speed in preparation for stopping when the yellow light appears. makes it unlikely for the driver to run
- 55-
the traffic signal and hence he will save his life and the li ves of others by avoiding a fatal accident. The presence of the traffi c police is not necessary at the intersection to arrest the vio lators of the traffic signal, as there are sec ret traffic police, or the surveillance cameras to perform this fun ction and arrest or register the vio lators. In th is connection , it is worth mentioning here that such action contradicts the teachings of our religion, Islam . In this regard, His Eminence, the Late Shei kh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz was once asked thi s question: what is the ru le or Islam ic judgme nt pertaining to the persons who violate the traffi c regulations, fo r example those who run the traffic signal on rcd? The answer of his Eminence was as foll ows "any Mu slim may not violate the Government's traffi c regul ations as this invol ves great danger and risk to that person and to others. The Government has set these regulations out of its desire to secure the inte rests of all its subjects and punishing such violators" and he cited thi s verse from the Holy Quran (And most of mankind will not be lieve even if you desire it eagerly) ve rse" I03-sufilt-Yusuf' Hi s Eminence. She ikh Bin Ethaymeen had also been asked the above ment ioned questi on and he replied by cit ing thi s ve rse from the Holy Quran (you who be lieve! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle (Mu hammad. PB UH) and those of your (Muslims) who arc in authorit y) ve rse 59-S ufilt-A n-Ni sa (Thc Wome n) and he went on to say that " If the ru lers have laid down signs suc h as: stop signs, or proceed signs, we shoul d abide by these signs as thi s mcan s we obey our rul ers",
- 56-
5.3 Drifting; (TuOlealh) Drifling is considercd a traffic viol ution . The driver who commits drifting is penel ized for the first vio lation by detention of the veh icle for fifteen days and a fine of 1000 (One thousand) S.R. and by detention of the vechilc for one mo nlh and a fine of 1500 (One thousand Five hundred) S. R. in the second offence. and detention of the vehicle and a fin e of 2000 (Two thousa nd)S.R. in the third time. In all cases the offe nder is refered to court to consider jailing him and co nfiscation of the vehicle.
5A Csing Mobile Phone by Imnd While Driving One of the great ri sks whi le driving is the use of mobiles. That is because, driving requires focusing and paying , - - - - - - - - , attentio n 10 the road , and being busy with the mobi le affects thi s focus and hence reduces the driver's reactio n time when confronted with a hazard situation and may commit accident due to improper reaction. Moreover, speaking on the mob ile may disturb the d ri ver's thinking o r may become excited wh ich may make him more like ly 10 cause .....- - - - - - - - ' an accident
.51>cfenshe DrivinJ.! The de fensive dri ver is a driver who always rakes a posi ti ve attitude tow.a rds driving by focusi ng mainly on sa fcty. Such a dri ve r is always pati ent, obscrvc!
feelings regard less of the pressures, whi ch he e n co un ~ ters or the misbehavior of other drivers. Hence, he can avoid accidents by controlling his fee lings and excile~ ments and by focusin g on driving and how to reach his destination safely. Also, he is the one who checks all the directions of the road carefu ll y while driving in order to react in a better way to the road surpri ses and unexpected events or to the faults that might be com~ milled by others. ~-:;.~,..-- ~----/=-......-----~---~~~....-~~~?'---"';-:?~
~ ObtDhdn~ u drlvlo~ Ii('rnse m('1U1S that }t1U :Ire Imu~ ofand ~
~;~~!~~~l~~~~~:~jJ~!-~~~~5d:P~ 5.6 Rulc~ that must be Kno" It
* G ive chance to vehicles that want to pass you
* *
*' *
be~
cause the road is the property of all. Pedestrians have the right to cross the road. espe~ cially the children, elderly and the di sabled. High headlight s and dazzling light s an noy other drivers and may cause traffic accidents. Keep enough distance between you r vehicle and the vehicles ahead of you to avoid colli sion with them if they stop suddenly. Control your e motions and actions when faced by some situation along the road that mi ght excite you and make you nervous. Always be alert.
Wrong Parking
- 58-
• • • • • • •
II., not make any unnecessary shifting from your LUll', IIlstead stick to your lane. I'lall ahead your trip. I',II~ your vehicle properly at the designated park. III).! areas . I :"l' the safety devices when your vehicle breaks duwn and keep it away from the road. I{('t.:ogn ize the meanings and significance of the IllIllIe signs and directions and be guided accord· 11I).tly, 1)0 nnt d ri ve in excess of the speed limit, and slow clown your speed when there is a reason for that to Ivnul causing an accident. III "i ing le· lanes roads keep at the extreme right hen you drive through an elevated section or 'hen you come across a curve or at intersections. PlY attention to the signs that indicate animal cross· 1I1i!. (espec ially camels). Whcn you feel fatigue while driving for long dis· !lII1I:C~, stop driving and walk for a while till you I I refreshed. "ituw dow n your vehicle speed when there is rain, Ing or sandstorm. \ void pass ing other vehicles in bad weather con· lluinns and use the flashing lights. In hud weather conditions it would be better to exit lIway fro m the road and stop at a safe place. When it starts raining , you must keep enough dis· tlillce fro m other veh icles and refrain from pressing the brakes strongly, or driving on the un.paved p trt!C of the road. \twnys remember that you should hold the driving Ikcnse, the vehicle's registration and the insurance t!,x;u me nt and all these documents should be valid . I (tllow the tnlmc police directions and instructions. Y icld the right·of-way to emergency vehicles.
- 59 -
Prior to ~tarting Jour lrirJ. it sure of Iht' following:
*
* * *
* * * * * *
* *
i~
adyis'lhl(' 10 make
Plan in advance for the intended trip. That the vehicle dashboard indicators (temperature. oil, fuel etc .. ) are functioning properly. That the wipers are functioning The emergency devices are in place (warning triangle, fire extingu isher). Check the oi l level. The Radiator water. Adjust the mirrors. Close the doors properly. Ensure all windows and windscreen surfaces shou ld r::;;,--=-_~-:-~_= be clean and free of any Fire ex tinguisher and obstructions. warning triangle are Make sure that the sig nal lights necessary in :lIly vchicle and head light are working. Make su re that the seal belt is in order. Make sure that the tires and the spare tire are In good condition
Unc ivl h/.cd behaV ior
- 60-
Q I. The most fatal and common traffic violations in
the Kingdom are: A. Excessive Speed. B. Run ning the traffic signa l on red. C. Excessive speed and runn ing the traffic signa l on red. D. None of the above. Q2. The Defensive Driver is the one Who: I. Is a professional dri ve r. 2. Part ic ipates in intemationa l mllies. \. Drives the vehicles at a slow speed . .l, Always has a positi ve attitude towards drivi ng.
Q3. When you feel fatigue while driving you should: A. Stop driving and wa lk for a whi le to get refreshed. B. Continue driving. C. Put on glasses to ease the eye fati gue. D. All of the above.
- 61 -
6
Sharing the Road with Others
· 63 ·
6. 1 Pedestrians Us ing the road is a com mon right for the drivers as wel l as the pedestrians. Therefore. a driver ... hould respect the right of pedestrians hy observ ing the fo llowi ng: Be alert and Driven. ~ houlJ respect pedestrian' s right~ slow down your vehiclc speed to prepa re 10 SlOp at the pedestrian'S crossi ngs. 2. Give the pedestrians the cha nce to cross the road safe ly at wide intersections . .1. Do not stop on the pedestrians Jines at the intersections. 4. Slow down and drive with cautious at school s. mosq ues, markets and public squares where more pedestrian s arc expected I.
Rl'rnernher Ihal m!)'1 nr Ihl' Iledl"lrain·s.retaled Ilddenls uccur al sunwl nr durinj.: n[j.:hl due 10 puur \ bihilil}
6.2 Bicycles Cyclists are considered users of the road who have equivalent rights as those of vehicle drivers. T herefore, the driver should give the rightof-way 10 the cycl ists. if so requ ired. You shou ld respect or
Drivers shou ld be alcn while d ri vi ng residenti:!! areas
- 65-
II!
give consideration to the lanes designated to them. Also remember also that some children play with the ir bikes and may appear suddenly on the road, espec ially ins ide the residential areas, therefore you should dri ve with utmost cautious in these places and you should be alert at all times whi le you are driving.
6-3 Persons with Special needs Our Islamic religion urges us to co-operate and assist each other, and it is more rewarding to offer such assistance to a di sabled brOlher. Therefore. you should observe the followin g cases relating to this category of the society . * Crossing the road by a person on a wheelchair may requ ire longer time than the time taken by wa lking persons. Therefore you shou ld be patient and wait till thi s person crosses the road safe ly.
Drivers should consider persons with disability on wheel chairs
- 66-
.
~
.
-
~
I ~ . "
-
Parking designmoo (or disabled
persons only
A bli nd person cross ing the road is di sting ui shed by carrying a white stick. Some of the car park ings are reserved to the persons w ith disabi lity through some indicat ive signs. Parki ng your vehicle on these pl aces is considered a violation as per the traffic rul es.
6·4 Schools Students Drivers should abide by the speed limit while d ri vmg in roads adjacent to schools, which mostly, docs nol exceed 30 krnlhour. Most of the running over accidents take place ncaf schoo ls because of excess ive
Be ale" 10 school students in the vicinity
- 67-
speed and due to not paying attention by the drivers. Remember Ihal students, especiall y in the primary and intermediate levels, may nol be aware of how 10 cross the road, therefore you shou ld alway s observe this. When you sec students getting out of a schoo l bus it is always advisable to stop till the school bus proceeds and titt you make sure that the road is clear ahead of you.
6-5 Emergency Vehicles Giving way to emergency vehicles such
Yield the right-of-way 10 emergency vehicles
- 68-
6-6 Road Works Very frequentl y a part of the road is closed for ma intenance and construction works. which requires a low speed drivi ng to e nsure the safety of workers al thi s pan of the road. Re member that excessive speed in add it ion to not payi ng s uffi cient attention at work zones may endanger the life of those workers and may C.IUSC injury or death.
Slow down your vehicle sp(:cd and be ale n wh ile crossing throu gh work wncs.
lJO)1I1I kl\l)\\ Ihut! 1 lit' numhrf of injun·d pl' l"';UnS dul' 10 tht' .1l'1.' idl' nb
\llmh un' urn-d on tlu.' KinAdum's
rmld~
during Ihr prriO(I
!IJXn-2UUKG stuud at morr Ih.1II 7X-',Uon mjuril's.
- 69-
Quil
Q1. The majority of traffic accidents which occur adjacent to schools arc: A. Colli sion between veh icles.
B. Running over. C. Turning over. D. None of the above.
Q2. Most of the running over accidents affecting pedestrians occur at sunset or during the night, because of: A. Excess ive speed.
S. Crowded pedestrians in the streets. C. Poor visibility. D. All of the above. Q3. When crossing a work zone, you should do the following : A. Slow down and be alert. S. Change your palh to another road. C. Stop driving. D. All of the above.
-70-
7
The vehicle
- 71-
" Taking care of the vehicle and conducting a periodica l ma intenance is o ne of the important factors that contributes to reduc ing the nu mber of traffi c acc idents. apart from the occurre nce of sudden breakdow ns, whic h may affect the veh icle operati on. The period ica l vehi cle inspection a t au thorized sta tio ns is
o ne of the important matters that shou ld be fo llowed on periodical basis. The inspection would detect the vehicle's defects on the spot and hence they can be repaired to avoid accident s. The veh icle's period ical inspection incl udes inspectio ns for the d ifferent parts and components which affect the safe usc of the vehicle. Not present ing the vehicle to the annual periodi cal inspection is considered a traffi c violatio n. Selection of genuine spare parts represents a cruc ial e lement to the safety of the vehicle. It is wc ll know n that there are com merc ial spare parts whi ch may serve the requi red purpose for a short period of time, but they have adverse impact on the vehicle's performance and safety. Therefore it is advisable to use genuine parts, especially those re lated di rectly to the safety of the vehicle such as the brakes and tires. 7.1 Tires A sig nificant portion of the traffic acc idents occ ur due to the use of bad or worn out ti res. II is very im portant to change the tires o n periodical bas is and replace them with good o nes which suit the Iype of the vehicle and the weather condit ion of the Ki ngdo m as recommended by the tires manufacturer. There are two types of tires: rad ial (w ire) and di ago nal bias (nylo n) . The radial type is the best type due to its characteristics such as its tolerance to high te mperatu re, mainta ining vehicle's balance at turn s
The most important reasons that lead to wearing out or bursting of the tire are the following: I. Excessive we ight. 2. Excessive or low air pressure. 3. Excessive speed. 4. Surrounding temperature. 5. Exposure of tire to shocks. 6. Storing in wet places or ;.It high temperature. 7.S udden brak ing or sudden shi fting to a hi gher speed. 8. Non-balanc ing of tires. 9. Drift ing (TalllCeth). When choos ing tires for your veh icle it is necessary to consider factors that have direct impact on the safe fun ctioning of the tire and which prevent it from sudden breakdown. These factors include the speed, ex-
Rcar vicw mirror Steeri ng lIall Joints
Wipc",
1'"",1 tank
1'1'\)1\1 IIUJ1Ipcr
r
Shock ~~Ofbcr
' 'a rking brake
R.. ~c~ pil'C'lllinhgc
1',,,m
Cranhh. f1 li nkage
bm~es
Exhaus1 box
Tires
-74-
cess ive load , temperature. usage conditions and road cond itions. For instance , tires are labeled with certain codes according to maximum speed limit. These codes are labled on the tire as shown in the fo llowing table: Code
Speed Km/Hour
120 130 140 150 160 170
L M N P
Q R
Code
S
Speed Kmfl-lour
U
180 190 200
H
210
V
240
Z
Above 240
T
Regarding the ti re load, each tire has a maximum load after which it will bu rst. The load is indicated by
MaJlim um Load Per Ti re. Kg 462
18 84
500 515
" "
"'" 'w
..,
89 91 100 108
lSW
"''"
132
,~
150 188
JJ>O
10.000
- 75 -
Moreover, each tire has a pre-detennined level of air-pressure wh ich is shown on one of its side wall. The driver should m'lke sure that the air pressure inside the tire is not in excess of the s~c ified pressure po int. Wi th regard to the temperalUre, tires can be classified into three categories (A, B, C) each category of tire having a maximum level of temperature to be used below it. For example code (C) means that a tire in this category should be used under low temperature. Based on thi s. the most appropriate c<1tegory for the climate conditions of the Kingdom is category (A) and then category (B). Another important issue to be considered when replacing the lires is the lire's manufacturing dale, which is composed of three digi ts, where the first and second to the left side indi e
-76-
T",adwur
~
....
Tc"'pC"ltUR:
ManUrac1unnsdatc (Mans wilh I"" w<:
Maximum
-,"'"
Sro-lliymbol
120 130 140 ISO 160 170 180 190 200 210 NO 270 )(.1 L
M
N
I'
0
-77 -
R
STU
/I
V
W
'r
7-2 Vehicle's Breakdowns If your vehicle breaks down, switch on the tlashing lights, which indicates that your vehicle is out of order and can not move, or that it is moving very slowly or that you are confronting an emergency. The followings are the most common vehicle's breakdowns: A. Tire blowout: when a tire burst, follow the following steps: * Lift your foot from the accelerator and do not app ly the brakes, otherwise the vehicle will be tipped over. * Hold the steering wheel finnly and maintain the vehicle's direction in a straight line till it stops. 8. Failure of brakes: when you discover that the brakes of your vehicle are out of order, you shou ld do the following: * Bring the gear back to a slower position to slow the speed of the vehicle. * Repeat pressing the brakes in an attempt to regain the brakes oil pressure. When repeating this three or four times you will know whether the brakes wi ll return to their nonnal function or not. * Use the hand brake, but you shou ld remember that you should release it if it becomes clear that the vehicle is going to slip. * Use the horn and the flashing lights to draw the attention of other drivers to your critical situation. * When there is no need to change the direction by moving out of the road, you may in this case turnoff the vehicle 's engine safe ly.
·78·
C. Breakdown of the steering wheel: When the engine turns off while you are driv ing, it is difficult to control the steering wheel. In this case you should attempt the follow ing steps: * Turn the steering wheel strongly using both hands in order to reach the si de of the road . * SlOP the vehicle, you will find diffi culty in using the brakes in automatic vehicles. * Try to re-start the engi ne with caution. D. Headlight failure: in case that the head lights wenl off suddenly during night driving, adopt the fo llowing: * Move the veh icle away from the road and tum on the flashing light s. * Try to switch on the lights repeated ly. * Upon failure to sw itch on the light, turn on the emergency flashing lights or the signal lights. E. If the engine hood is opened: If the engine hood is opened suddenly to an upright posit ion whi le you are dri ving your vehicle, you shou ld do the fo llowing: * Tum on the flashing Ijghts. * Slowdown your vehicle speed. * Try to see from under the cover, if not poss ible, do the follow ing: * Try to see through the window. * Make use of the lane markings as a guide for you. * Keep away from the road as fast as you can with extre me caution. F. Breakdown of the Accelerator: Adjust the gear in a neutral posit ion for the ordi nary veh icles and to (N) position for the automatic vehicles. * Use the brakes. * Pay attent ion to the road and start pullin g your vehicle off the road .
*
- 79 -
* *
Draw the attention o f the other drivers 10 you r c riti cal situation by using the horn or the flash ing li ghts. Turn the engine off.
7-3 Emergency Conditions There are emergency circumstances which necess itate a compulsory stop of the driver on the road side. In such situation you should act ns fo llows:
*
Pull away from the road by a distance not less than two meters if you fail to fin d an appropriate parking
* Place a warn ing tri ang le nt a di stance of 50 meters in front of the vehicle and another one at a disl::lnce of 100 meters behind the vehicle in the single- ........... lane road Usc Ihe waming lrianglc in case of a vehicle breakdown
* If the road is a dua l or multilane highway and you are forced to stop on one of these lanes, you should put a warning triangle at a di stance of 10 meters behind the vehicle, and another warning triangle at a distance of 100 meters behind the vehicle also. Do not forgel to co llect the warn ing triangle prior to moving your vehicle. Remember also that many accidents occur because of un safe stopping near the highway, whether for repair o f a de fect in the vehicle or for any other reasons. Slid ing is another unexpected eve nt which occurs when driving a vehicle. Sliding occurs when the degree of fri ction between the tires and the road surface reduces. When the vehicle slides, act as follows: - 80-
I. Tum the dri ving wheel in the direction of the sliding. 2. A void pressi ng the brakes peda l. 3. Slow down your vehicle speed gradually. 4. If your vehicle is equipped with (ABS) system whi ch prevents locking the ti res when using the brakes, you should, under wet road circumstances press the brake pedal strongly and continuously to acti vate this system, even if you feel that the brake pedal is becoming loose or is pushing your foot up. (A BS) system helps the dri ver to control the vehicle and maintain its direction in a straight line whe n sliding on the road due to ra in or other causes.
I)n ~f)U kmm thut! The numher or deuths resulkd rrom truffic uceidenls that occurred on the Kingdom's roads durin!.: thl' pl"
riod 19HO·20mU; CXl'ccdcd to9.0UO l'aSuultil's
- 81 -
Quiz QJ. The advantage of the vehicle ' s periodical inspection is: A. Early detection of defects. B. Repairing the defect to avoid accidents. C. Raise the level of the vehicle's safety on the road. D. A ll of the above.
Q2. There are three categories of tires, namely (A, B, C) and the most suitable ones for the Kingdom's weather are: A.C. B. C.B C. A,then B D. B then A
Q3. When the steering wheel breaks down, you should do the following: A. Move the steering whee l with both hands. B. Stop the vehicle. C. Try to fe-start the eng ine. D. All of the above.
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8
Traffic accidents
- 83-
8- J Avoiding Accidents In most cases, drivers choose one of three o ptions to avoid acc idents: stops quick ly, veer the vehicle or accelerates the speed. Follow ing is a summary for each reaclion selected:
* To stop quickly. * *
use the brakes and when the vehi-
cle slides, stop using the brakes, the n press the brakes one time after the other till the vehicle comes to a complete stop. When you don't find lime for slopping. try 10 change the direction to pull off the road, in order to avo id colliding with other vehicles and try nol 10 use the brakes whil e changing the direction . Some times it would be preferable to acce le rate your speed to avoid acc idents, particularl y when a certain vehicle is about to hit you from behind, or on your side.
If you fa il to avoid the accident, try to protect yourself as much as you can, but you should all ow other dri vers to know what you are intending to do while you are dri ving your vehicle so they can avoid coll iding with you. By foll ow ing the guidance and instructions mentioned be low, you wi ll be able to avoid many acc idents: I. Blind areas: The driver can nol see the vehicles in the blind areas through the mirror and he should turn hi s head 10 be able to see other vehi cles in these areas.
2_ The Spero Limit You are legall y not all owed to dri ve in access of the speed limit as posted on the road's speed li mi l signs, Regardless of the speed limit, your speed should take into consideration the follow ing:
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A. The number and speed of the vehicles on the road. B. The road's surface condition, whether soft or rough, earthy, or wet, wide or narrow. C. The road's slope (high or low). D. Pedestrians and cyclists o n the road sides. E. Rain. fog. winds, sandstonn and dust. F. The nature of the area you are crossing (schools, mosques. markets). Driving in excess of the posted speed limit is considered a disastrous danger. Also, driving very slowly, especially on the highway, may lead to causing dangerous accidents. Therefore. you should drive at speed close to the speed limit and observe the speed of the surrounding vehicles on the road.
The faster your speed, the lesser will be your abili-
ty to con trol the vechicJe, regardless of observing the speed limit. Many of the new drivers do not take into consideration the safety factor by slow ing down their speed accord ing 10 the nature of the road and the driving conditions. Hence, these drivers do not act properly and may cause traffic accidents due to lack of experience in driving.
- 86-
3. Curves At road curves there is a side push force on the vehicle (the centrifugal force) whi ch pushes it away from the curve. To avoid exi ting the vehicle from its path, you shou ld slow down pri or to entering the curve and remember that usi ng the brakes while passing the curve may lead to sliding your vehicle and tipped over.
Curve Signs
4. Work Zones: The work zones are locations where disastrous accidents increase. It is well known that the victims of these accidents are from the users of road or the workers at those sites. It is also known that work place, requi res closing part of the road or the whole road , hence, the dri ver should be cautious to pass the work zone safe ly and thi s entails abiding by the traffi c signs such as the detour signals... etc, and the in structions of the persons in charge of the work zone.
~
~ 15.: -- 5l "'~l Warning sign on
Cone wi th nllg
a post
- 87 -
&
.1
Every driver shou ld remember that the speed limit at the work place is less than the speed lim it at other parts of the road
s· Wet Roads You should slow your vehicle speed when the road is wel. Th is is because, when there is rain or other liq uids on the road, the frict ion coefficient between the tires and the road surface decreases at the speed of 80 km/ h .a nd the veh icle will appear as if it is moving on water. Therefore, any sli ght deviation in your path or occurrence of a medium level winds may le.ld your vehicle to slide and you will loose control over it. Al so remember that press ing the brakes stron gly on the wet roads leads to slid ing.
8.2 Colliding with Camels Camels represent a danger to the traffic now when Lhey cross through the unfenced roads. The shapes or the came ls are dirrerent rrom the shapes or other anima ls. T hey have huge bod ies and long legs, he nce the ir centers or grav ity are high and th is is the reason behind the occ urrence of ratal traffic acciden ts when the vehicle hit came ls. The reasoning ror this is that vehicles fi rst hit the legs and then the mass or the body rall s on the passengers' cab in in the light vehicles. Studies pro ved that trarfl c acc idents caused by camels in Ihe Kin gdom constitute about 94% or the animal s hilling acc ide nts. and 85% of these accide nts occur between 6:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.I11., i.e. du ring the night. In addition. studies indicated that the rate or injuries in the accidents caused by camels represent rour times the rate of the traffic acc idents in genera l whereas the death rates exceed six times the rate of traffic accidents in gene ral.
·88·
To avoid collid ing with camels, you should observe the following instructions: I. Slow your specd when YOll see a camellcamcb ncar the road 2. Swi tch on the flashing lights or signa ls and obse rvc vehicles aroll nd you, espec iall y the ones behind you. 3. Wa il till Ihe came ls cross the road complete ly.
- 89-
t
4. The warning triangle which has a camel's symbol indicates camel s crossing area. When you sec this sign you should be cautious and reduce your vchi · de speed.
5. You should be aware of the typical behavior of came ls; they do not get scared of vehicles and do not move away from vehicles when they see them . 6. You should pay attention to the traffic instructions and warni ng signs issued o r announced by the conce rned authori ties to avoid th is problem.
8.3 The accident's site and crowding. When you
see
the
flashing IighlS of a vehicle ahead of you , you should reduce your vehicle L.._ _.................... speed as there might be an accident or an emergency on the road.
Alflid cro\\din~ ur ~1I1hl·rlllJ.: around tht' lIccidl'lll, or di,· .. sil'rs ,itt's Ollt fir t·lIriO,it~. h('('lIW.l' thi .. \\ ill hindl'r III(' n'~· t'ujn~ (ll)t'rutinll'i and nUl~ l'lIlllii IlItJrt' m'l'jell'lIt'i
- 90-
8.4 Intensity of the Accident The intensity of the traffic accidents which ranges from a simple fall from a bicycle to an accident in which many vehicles are involved, may cause many injuries. In most cases, the site of the accident represents high risks for safety due to the slow traffic flow. Therefore, always try to keep away from the acc ident's site by resort ing to another road to allow the emergency teams (traffic police, ambulance, civil defense) to carry out their rescue duties without any disturbance or confusion.
8.5 How to act when you see an Accident? If it happens that you are the first person to reach an accident's site, you should behave as follows: Make the place safe:
First: Personal safety precautious Pay attention to your personal safety by not doing anything that endangers your li fe. Stop your vehicle safely away from the road after you pass the accident's site and turn on the flashing lights. Check whether there arc injured people. Do not run through a path which is crowded with vehicles. If it is at night wear or carry a shining or reflecting object and use a torch. Second: The General Protective Precautions Make the place safe to prevent the occurrence of another accident. Infonn the traffic police or the am bulance or the c ivil defense. If there are injured people trapped inside the vehicles invo lved in the acci dent ask the bystanders to warn the other drivers to slow their speed. Put warn ing triangle, sig nal s or ligh ts at a dist.mce of 45 m at least, aw,ty from the traffic's si te and at both directions of the road. Switch off the engine of the vehicle affected by the accident - 91 -
..
,
and if possible disconnect the vehicle 's battery. Keep the veh icles involved in the accident at stable positio n by using the hand brakes. If a vehicle is lean ing on one side, do not adjust ii , but try to prevent it from turning upside down. Draw the attention of the emer-
gency services to any damaged electric wires or spilled out fu c l from the vehicles affected by the accident or the ex istence o f the "danger" signs on them. Dll not rllll\ ..' the Itllun.:d p..:rsotls unk\~ }Otl t lllJ thCllIlI!Sld,,:.1 humJt1~ \\,: tUI.-It: or 11 the) an.: III J.U1gl.:r \ 1(1\ Ill,!! mlured JX'r'tllh h.lflll tht: m .lIlu lll.tIl) 01 th ..- p.lr.l l ~ ~I' .. ast." ilL" tiT .1' ,I rc ... uh oj thl'
Third: Rescuing the persons injured in accidents Check the inju red and make sure that Ihey arc still breathing. Stay w ith the injured person and re lieve hi s worry lill the ambu lance reaches the site of the acciden t. Try to be calm if you afe at the place of the accident and remember that acting promptl y is very essentiaL While you are waiting for the ambu lance 10 reach the accident's site, you may take the follow ing steps.
Stan
I I
UnconM:iou~
I injured
I
Conscious injured
If u pcriOn j, ,H-cltlled OUlsidc of the car, fi x h i ~ he,ld ,111([ lied .. m;ing yuur hand ,md open h i~ ,lIr palh by pushing lhe juw upward. removc nil objects fw m inside Ihc jaw, c'IJCcinll y the artificial tccth aud lhc ocher ob,tacle~ which may bloc k the ,Iir p;:tth o f lhe injun.-d
- 92-
He kl"t'fl 10 rdic ..... ~ ... c
Ihfln Mnd
them runllnuousl)'
8·6 Stopping acute Bleeding The most likely cause o f dc.alh when acc ide nts oc· cur is the bleed ing; however, you can stop the exte rnal bleeding easily if you fo llow the steps explained below: I. Locate the place of the bleeding and press it di rectly usin g a cl ean piece of cloth .
2. If the bleed ing occurs at o nc o f the lim bs, li ft this part up and keep press ing as thi s gesture alo ne may be enough in Illost cases. 3. Usc a bandage to cover the wound and lic it appropriatel y, but be carefu l not to tighten it to the ex te nt that it inte rrupts the blood c irc ul atio n from rcaching the other parts of the body. 4. Press po ints: If the prev io us atte mpts fail to SlOp the bleeding. YOLI may press by the palm of your hand on the interna l side of the humorou s between
armpit and the elbow in case of the upper part bleeding. and press the inlerna l fro nt part o f the upper thig h in case o f Ihe lower part bleed ing.
Do not rt.'plllcc thl:' pil'cc of doth uith a nc\~ pil'{"t.' it the hlt.'cding contillues; rlltlll"r plact.' a lieu Olll' Oil lup of he old.
· 93·
Firs(: Fix straight the head and neck
Second: Hold li p the limb and press to stop the bleeding
Third: Covet !.he woond wi th bandage
Fon h: Plam hand pressing to stop the bleeding
- 94-
8.7 Hazardous Materials Traffic accidents may even become morc complicated when hazardous materials spi lled or whcn toxic vapors leak out. Keep the bystanders away from the acc ident's site and stand opposite to the wind's direction. If you notice any "danger" signs on the vehicles, infonn the emergency team about them. If you are doubtful about your safety or if you noticed any "dangerous" sign , keep at a distance and stay at a safe place if therc is any leakage of nammable or hazardous materials.
Phone Numbers of Emerge ncy authorities Security patrols
999
Saudi Red Crescent Authority
997
Civil Defence
998
Traffic Accidents notification
993
Road Security Police
996
- 95 -
.(
=
.!li.. ~ c ........... ~
~
... hoI ... ""
Signs of hazardous materials on trucks
- 96-
8.8 Factors Influencing Driving The teachings of our religion Islam prohibit drinking alcohol and using narcotics (drugs). The traffi c reg ulations and rules stipulate that whoever is involved in a traffi c accident and found to be under the influence of narcotics, or alcohol will be dealt with stringentl y (phys ically and morally). The penalty imposed on such persons may ex tend to suspending their licenses for a period of one year in addi tion to applying the Sharia punishments. On the other hand . some of the medicines taken by some dri vers may affect their level of concentration and proficiency in dri ving. Th is applies to the other types of drugs which are purchased by a prescript ion from phys ician or over-lhecounter, including the prohibited drugs. Now, cons ider these fac ts:
* The medi cine prescribed *
for curing headache, nasal congestation, influenza and tranquili zers, cause drowsiness which affect the dri ver's focus and driving skill s. Taking medi cal drugs, regardl ess of their types or doses, has its definite impact on the driver's foc us. Therefore drivers should consult and get confLrmalion from the physician or the pharmacist abou t the extent of influence of the drugs they take on their abil ity to drive.
You should make sure that )OU are "eUlmare of the resulting efffects of using an} I)pcs of drugs 011 }uur focus nhilc drhing
- 97-
- Fatigue and Stress Fatigue weakens the driver's focus which will have adverse effect on his reaclion to the dangers that may face him on the road, in addi tion to making him feel sleepy while driving. To avoid this, the driver is advised to do the following: Properl y plan the trip. Take a rest prior to starting your trip and avoid starting it immediately after the working hours. Do not try to drive for a long distance continuously
during the night. Stop and take rest after every two hours of dri ving and take snacks and hot drin ks. Move y,?ur eyes continuously and talk to your trip compan ions. Listen to some radio programs and usefu l cassettes. - Vision and hearing While you are driving, you need to see objects clearly. In fact many of the acts you do whi le you are dri ving depend on what you see ahead of you. Thus, if you are not able to see the objects ahead of you clearly, your judgment of the distances ahead of you will be incorrect which may consequently affect taking appropriate decisions. Some people can see well during the day but they can not do the same during the night, particularly on the roads that lack sufficient lighting. Hence, you should check your eyes ight and use medical glasses, if required.
- 98-
Hearing is also as important as eyesight. You should check your hearing to measure the extent of your ability to hear the voices around you as there might be some voices which you need to hear prior to see ing their sources to pay attent ion to them, especially in places where visib ility is low. Listening to the radio or cassette player at low volume will help you hear voices outside the vehicle.
Do ~ ou knO\\ '! Tlw \olume of economic IO"'-'it's resulting from traffic accidents In tht, Kingdom is estimatl-d al S.H. 21 Million 8nnuall)
- 99-
Quiz
Qt- The faster the speed: A. The more you wi ll be respected by other drivers. B. The more the insurance premium wi ll increase. C. The less control you will have over the veh icle.
D. Wililcad to failure of operating the (ABS) syste m.
Q2. When you see camels crossing the road, you shou l d: A. S low down your veh icle speed and wait till the came ls cross the who le sect ion of the road. S. S low down your speed and no need to wait. C. Usc the hom continuously_ D. Increase your speed to prevent them rrom crossi ng the road.
Q3. When there is an accident or an emergency on the road, how will you act: A. Provide assistance if I can. S. Use another road to allow the emergency and resc ue teams to reac h the s ite and rescue the injured .
C. SlOP the vehicle near the place of the accident. D. The above-mentioned in paras (A+ B).
- I ()()-
9
Behaviors that lead to license suspension
- 101 -
•
Abiding by the traffic regulations and instructions is a major pre-requi site to avoid being involved in actions that might lead to suspension of driving license and disqualify the dri ve r form driving. The conduct that leads to violating the traffic regu lations have negati ve impacts, which includes causing harm to you or to others or the legal consequences of paying fines and other legal procedures. However, the adverse impacts do not stop there, but may extend to include registering black points on your record at the traffi c directorate. For example, when a driver commits a violation of running a red light, in addition to the payment of the financial penalty, twelve black points will be registered in his driving record. If he continues repeating this violation, this balance of black point s may reach 24 points within one year where his driving license will be suspended . In contrast, abiding by the traffic rules by not commiuing violations will make your record clean and not containing any black points. The traffic regulations contain some provisions that encourage the drivers to ma intain their record clean. Committing a traffic violation is not the upshot or does it mean that you are a dangerous driver. The law stipul ates that " If one year elapses after a driver committed a traffic violation and he did not commit another violation, the driver's black points pertaining to that violation will be omitted au tomatically from the system, consequently hi s record wi ll be clean of any violations.
nu \UII
I
h~·
impal"l,
I.IW\\
Ih.ll~
.,f Ih~· Ir.lllir .u·ddt·nl t·,lt·1II1 hn "mllht·
~'~·IIIWIIII\
I""t·, Iu lIU"huk "It 1.11. IIt,.11t1l ,lIId I"~ fhn l,':':ll.ll IlIIp.ll h.
- 103 -
t
Appendix (1) Tables of the traffic violations pursuant to the Traffic Act issued by the Royal
Decree No MISS dated 26110/ 1428H and it 's Executive Act issued by the decree No. 7019 dated 3n!1429H of H.H. Minister of Interior.
- 105 -
6'ioIations Table No. (1~ Penalties for Violations Table No. (I) are 500 to 900 S.R. fine, or detention of the vehicle as welt. These vi olations are: 1. Driving a vehicle without having a dri ving license. 2. Driving a vehicle without registration plates (detention of the vehicle till the violation is settled). 3. Driving a vehicle without rear registration plate (detention of the vehicle till the violation is sett led). 4. Driving a vehicle with registration plates that do not belong to vehicle (detention of the vehicle till the violation is settled). 5. Using irregular registration plates (detention of the vehicle till the violatio n is settled). 6. Installing fittings resembling those of offic ial and emergency vehicles(delention of the vehicle lill Ihe violalion is seuled).
7. Erasing or try to erase vehicle's identification signs. 8. Driving under the intluence of alcohol, drugs or medical drugs that is warned of driving under it' s infl uence.
9. Running traffic light on red. 10. Driving a vehicle in the opposite direction to traffi c flow. II. Maneuvering in high speed between vehicles public roads. - 107 -
011
12. Exceeding speed limit (more than 25 Km PI-lover posted limit) . 13. Passing in prohibited areas such as curves and heights. 14. Slopping over railroads. 15. Failure to secure (covering and tying up) a transported load 16. Carry ing out works on public roads without prior coord ination with the concerned authorities. 17. Fai lure to comp letely stop at stop sign. 18. Not yielding the .right-of-way by completely stopping at the yield sign. 19. Not yie lding the right-of-way to vehicles coming from right in equal right-of-way intersection i"n the absence of right-of-way sign. 20. Not yielding the right-of-way to vehicles in the main road in the absence of yield sign. 2 1. Failure to comply with the traffic po lice direct ions :md not giving his directions priority over traffic signals. 22. Failure of incoming vehicles to yie ld to the rightof-way to veh icles in side roundabouts in the absence of traffic lights or a traffic police. 23. Driving a vehicle not equipped with the necessary appliances such as brakes, lights etc which jeoppardize public safety.(detention of the vehicle till the violation is settled). - 108-
24. Failure to use necessa ry lig hts while driving or in bad weather. 25. Driving a vehicle in tunne ls without switching o n li ghts.
- 109-
6'1oIaIions Table No. (zy Penalties for Viohuions Table No. (2) are 300 to 500 S. R. fine or detention of the vehicle as well. These viM olations are: I.
Carry ing out modifications or add itons to vehicle's chassis or body without observ ing the lega l proced ures.(delent ion of the vehicle till the vio lation is sett led).
2.
Operating of industri al, const ruction or agricullura j pub lic works veh icles o n roads without taking
the necessary precautions includi ng absence of refl ecting wi ng signs.. (detent ion of the veh icle till the violat ion is sett led). 3.
Driv ing a vehi cle that causes poll ution on public roads (detention of the vehicle till the vio lat io n is
settled). 4.
Exceed ing speed limit ( 1-25 Km PH over posted li mit).
5.
Messing with regulating traffic road signs, reflectors or poles.
6. Non-stopping in check points or secu rity paLrols in the presence of SlOp directions or signs. 7. Fa il ure to observe traffic regulations in crossroads and intersections. 8. Usc of vehicle for purposes other than licensed for. 9. Exceed ing number of perm itted passengers.
- 110-
10. Tmnsporting passengers in places not des igned for them in vehicle. I I. Refuse to present dri ver's or vehicle's documents to the authorized personnel. 12. Not observing lanes outlines. 13. Leav ing objects on public roads that may endanger pub lic sa fety. 14. Not yielding right of way 10 VIP convoys or emergency vehi cles. 15. Passing school buses when children are boardi ng or ex iting. 16. Driv ing with ex pired driv ing license.
- II I -
(Violations Table No.
(3V
Penalties for Vio lations Tab le No. (3) arc 150 to 300 S.R. fine. These violations are I. Absence of trailer's lega l requi rements. 2. Not presentin g the vehicle for techn ica l in specti on 3. Using high beam head light whi le there arc oncom-
ing vehicles. 4. Fai l ure 10 take necessary precaution s w hen SlOpping the vehi cle on pub lic roads in cases of emer-
gency. 5. Placing obstacles inside the veh icle that obstruct dri ver's vis ion.
6. Not carrying dri ving license or vehicle's registration whi le driving .. 7. Lc
8. Violating traffic regulations on roads. 9. Fa ilure to preserve ve hicle's registration plales. 10. Fai lure to compl ete vehicle's ownership rcgistmtion procedures II . Failure to complete the procedures or changing or ve hicle's utilization. 12. Fa ilure to use scat be ll 13. Failure 10 use appropri ate sarety seats designed ror childre n • 112-
14. Failure to observe rig ht-o r-way rules. 15. Failure to export a vehicle inte nded for e xport in due dale. 16. Using cell phone by hand whil e dri ving.
17. Abu se the use of vehicle's ho rn . 18. Not wearing a helmet while driving mo torb ikes. 19. Dri ving in unauthori zed lanes 20 . Fa il ure o f anima ls' ow ners to keep them away fro m roads.
- 113 -
(VIolatlOJlS Table No. (4 1) Penalties for Violations Table No. (4) are 100 to 150 S.R. fine . These vio lati ons are
1. Using unauthorized appliances in the vehicle or fix ing stickers or slogans of indecent material. 2. Unnecessarily leaving of veh icles on pub lic roads in prohibited arcas.
3. Throwing any objects outside the vehicle while drivi ng. 4. Driving a veh icle without fro nt registration plate. 5. Exiting or boarding whi le the vehicle is moving. 6. Crossing of pedestrians in unauthorized zones.
7. Fai lure of pedestrians to comply to pedestrian traffic signs. 8. Causing traffic congestion by driv ing slow ly. 9. Parking in No-parking areas. 10. Parking in handicapped parking zones. 11. Failure to focus on the road while driving. 12. Absence of insurance policy.
- 114-
Appendix (2) Traffic Signs & Signals
- 115 -
1
i
,!
II
Warning Signs
I
&£&£~ ~b
~_
,..., io1\ .. """
_
..... II> 1<.
1teYc
Kewne_ R-L
_
......
l.--.
~~L11&& t>escenl
AscenT
II ..... _ _
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Drum
Finally .. . The authors wish that the efforts they have been exerted in writing this manual have achieved the aspired objectives in estab lishing and deepening the traffic safety culture and concept for the road users. This effort remains in need for more deve!opmenr and updating through the contribution of whoever concerned by way of making comments, remarks and suggestions and sending the same to the authors on the following address.
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology The National Traffic Safety COlllmittee P.O. Box 6086 Riyadh J 1442 Secretariat of the COllllllittee:
Tel: 01/481 3746 Fax: 01/481 3878-01/481 3837 Email : gdrgp(ilkacst.edu.sa
•
