Road accidents in Saudi Arabia: A comparative and analytical study

This study analyses the magnitude of traffic accidents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) over the last fifteen years. The Kingdom has experienced a rapid economic growth resulting in a large increase in auto ownership and a rapidly expanding improved road network. As a result, traffic accidents have become a serious problem facing the country. During the period from 1971 to 1994, the numbers of traffic accidents, injuries, and fatalities have increased by 30 times, 6 times, and 7 times, respectively. A comparative analysis of the traffic accident experience versus other developing countries is carried out. The relative situation of traffic safety impacts is compared with developing countries experiencing rapid economic expansion. This study showed that both fatality rate and accident severity have increased. The need for improvement is urgently demonstrated by the magnitude.