Saudi Arabia’s General Department of Traffic has announced that the electronic monitoring of vehicle insurance violations will commence on 1 October.
The department called on motorists to adhere to traffic regulations and to ensure their vehicles have valid insurance to safeguard their rights in the event of any traffic accident.
Amendments to the Traffic Law in Saudi Arabia now classify the lack of valid vehicle insurance as a violation subject to fines ranging from 100 to 150 SAR, reported The Saudi Gazette.
The official spokesman for the insurance sector, Adel Al-Essa, says that the decision by the Traffic Department to monitor vehicle insurance violations electronically will reduce premiums and contribute to increasing the car parc’s insurance coverage.
At present, 50 per cent of vehicles running on Saudi roads are uninsured. Al-Essa says that this is partly because of the discrepancy between the term of a vehicle insurance policy (one year) and the period of validity of a driving licence (three years).
The administration’s move is part of ongoing efforts to enforce traffic laws and promote responsible driving behaviour. By implementing the automated monitoring system, authorities aim to discourage vehicle owners from driving without valid insurance coverage, and ultimately protect the rights of all road users if an accident occurs.