We need to change driving habits

It is the beauty of Islam that its teachings cover even the pettiest of issues, a man could encounter. Our Prophet (pbuh) has even given us a guideline as to how we must behave on the streets. A prophetic narration (hadith) lays emphasis on showing respect to others and to remove any harmful thing lying on the streets.
If we try to apply the same hadith in today’s scenario, it would definitely translate into some rules like no overspeeding, no violation of traffic rules, abstinence from reckless driving, no littering and avoid unnecessary use of horns.
Nowadays, we see thousands of vehicles plying on roads and it is the duty of every individual behind the wheel to drive safely and to avoid disturbing others by his unruly (One can safely say, un-Islamic) behavior.
Roads and streets in Saudi Arabia are very wide almost on a par with the international standards but the Saudi streets are considered to be the most dangerous in the world. Hundreds are killed in road accidents every year in the Kingdom. In addition to that, we lose billions of dollars in treating the injured and damaged cars and properties. Nowadays, these losses are becoming a burden on the national budget and an agony for many families who lose a loved one.
Few years ago, a system called “saher” was introduced in the Kingdom to control traffic violations. This system is a speed checker that automatically detects overspeeding vehicles and issues tickets. The system is effective only in case of a overspeeding vehicle but it does not issue a ticket for the recklessness of a driver. Many fatal accidents occur due to reckless driving.
Driving 10 km above the speed limit is not as dangerous as a dangerous maneuver by a driver. Saudi roads, streets and highways need more monitoring with more strict rules for any individual who disrespect the law. Driving on the road is becoming more of a stress rather than a joy. The traffic authorities must do more to ensure effective implementation of traffic laws. Disregard for traffic laws is on the rise among the Saudi youths. And the saher system is not enough to deter the actions of the drivers on the road.
This should be kept in mind that good driving habits are a reflection of good manners, good education and a decent and balanced personality.
With the increase of road accidents, there is a great need for educating people to change their driving habits. There must be an extensive training for highway patrol personnel to deal with any reckless driver. Apart from that extensive training should be imparted before issuance of a driving license. We have a good road network but many reckless drivers. Enforcement of tougher laws is the only solution to check the situation.

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