Saudi Arabia’s high crash rate

Crashes present a large financial drain on Saudi Arabia’s GDP. The country’s high crash rate is reported to cost the country as much as US$5.33 billion/year, according to Arab News. Careless driving and tailgating are primary causes of crashes in Saudi Arabia, as well as eating, using mobile phone and speeding. The report says that around 40,000 injuries/year are caused by crashes. Worryingly, 80% of those with registered physical handicaps are as a result of crashes according to official figures while 30%
March 29, 2016 Read time: 1 min
Crashes present a large financial drain on Saudi Arabia’s GDP. The country’s high crash rate is reported to cost the country as much as US$5.33 billion/year, according to Arab News. Careless driving and tailgating are primary causes of crashes in Saudi Arabia, as well as eating, using mobile phone and speeding. The report says that around 40,000 injuries/year are caused by crashes. Worryingly, 80% of those with registered physical handicaps are as a result of crashes according to official figures while 30% of patients in hospitals across Saudi Arabia suffered those injuries in crashes.

Related Content

  • Algeria’s high crash rate costs its economy
    November 18, 2015
    Research from Algeria shows that its high rate of road crashes is having a damaging effect for its economy, as well as ruining lives. The data comes from the Algerian insurance and reinsurance union UAR. Its study shows that road crashes cost the country’s economy US$926.78 million/year. In all, there were 1 million crashes on roads in 2014, with drivers being at fault in 90% of cases. Insurance companies spent $415.2 million in compensations in 2014, up 10% from 2013. With the 30% depreciation of the Alger
    Read More
  • India’s dangerous roads see deaths increase
    January 11, 2017
    India’s road crash rate continues to provide a serious cause for concern. The country’s rate of road fatalities is climbing steadily, as levels of motorisation increase. India's National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported that there were 464,000 crashes in the country in 2015. Compared with the figures for 2011 of 450,000 crashes, this shows a 9% increase in incidents. Meanwhile there were 136,000 reported road deaths in India during 2011, which increased to 148,000 in 2015. Poor driving is thought to
    Read More
  • IRF chairman appointed as Saudi Arabia’s minister of transport
    December 10, 2014
    Engineer Abdullah Al-Mogbel, chairman of the International Road Federation, has been appointed Saudi Arabia’s minister of transport. The appointment was made by royal order of His Majesty Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, King of Saudi Arabia and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Chairman Al-Mogbel's appointment is the latest development in a wide ranging career, which began in 1978 as a project manager at the Ministry of Communications (later renamed the Ministry of Transport). This was at the onset of Saudi Arabia
    Read More
  • High percentage of DUI deaths in Catalonia, Spain
    May 9, 2016
    Official figures from Catalonia in Spain show a high percentage of road fatalities relate to driving under the influence of drink or drugs. According to the Legal Medicines Institute in Catalonia, post mortem tests showed positive for drink or drugs in 45% of road accident deaths in the region.
    Read More

Highlighted Content