Brigadier al-Kharji speaking at a press meet
By Ayman Adly/Staff Reporter

Director of the Traffic Department has advised that parents should monitor the driving practices of their young sons by frequently checking their traffic violations on the Ministry of Interior’s website.
“In this way, they would be kept updated regarding the conduct of minors on the road. In case they observe a considerable increase in violations, they should act accordingly,” Brigadier Mohamed Saad al-Kharji said.
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of fatal crashes as a consequence of reckless driving.
During a press conference last week, al-Kharji said that motorists usually follow rules such as use of indicator light while learning at driving schools, but most of them abandon the practice as soon as they get a driving licence. “This is a risky behaviour because light signals are the language in which vehicles are supposed to communicate with each other on the road. A timely signal keeps other motorists aware of your next move,” he added.
The director advised parents to ensure the safety of their children, especially when seeing them off to school. “Parents should not drop off their children in the middle of the road. Spending a few minutes to ensure that the children are on the safe spot would often save us the suffering of undesirable and usually irreversible consequences,”
he said.
With many people meeting with accidents while crossing the roads, there is a long-felt demand for more pedestrian facilities such as tunnels, flyovers or pedestrian traffic lights accompanied with the adequate traffic signs. Companies also have been urged to instruct their employees and workers, especially new comers, on road safety procedures in the country.
In his last Friday sermon, Islamic scholar Dr Mohamed Hassan al-Meraikhi stressed the urgent need to address the issue of fatal road accidents seriously adopting practical measures to save the potential loss of lives due to speeding.
He also denounced reckless driving by young men and urged parents to keep an eye on youngsters driving vehicles without licence.
In a session on the subject, the members of the Central Municipal Council also agreed that standard speed-breakers should be set up in residential areas and near key public facilities, such as schools and hospitals, to reduce speeding.
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