Saudi Arabia - Women Driving

Seeing women behind the wheel here in Saudi Arabia is a thrilling sight for me - and it's getting more commonplace since they were granted the right to drive in June 2018.  I get the same excited feeling when I see Saudi women working in shops and supermarkets - something that was initiated just a few short years ago.  These young women happily granted my request to take their picture before they drove away.  

Saudi Arabia - Female Driver!

This past summer, women finally were given the right to drive legally in Saudi Arabia.  It was a huge step for progress and a momentous occasion.  Saudi Arabia was the last country in the world to allow females to drive.  Many of my friends have gotten their drivers licenses, although I haven't gotten mine yet.  Word from the king was there would be no harassment of women drivers, and for the most part, the transition has gone smoothly.  

SkyWatch - Hanging out

Once women can drive here in Saudi Arabia in June 2018, I'm hoping that child safety might improve through the use of infant car seats and seat belts.  My thought is that if a young mother is driving her small children around, she will realize that the kids need to be safely buckled in.  As it is now, babies often sit on Mom's lap.  Actually I've even seen babies sitting on Dad's lap while he drives too...  Saudi women who have never driven before will be required to take driving classes and my hope is that child safety is one of the topics that will be incorporated into the classes.


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Our World: Jeddah Kid in Sun Roof

One thing that really irks me is when I see children riding in cars in Jeddah who are not safely buckled in to car seats or even seat belts.  It is a common sight to see small children standing up sticking out the sun roofs of cars, hanging out the windows, or sitting on Dad's lap as he drives.  Certainly in this day and age, parents here should be aware how dangerous these things are. I've also complained about seeing really young boys actually driving in Saudi Arabia too, while women were forbidden to drive (this is to change in June 2018).  All of the links I have cited in this text are from previous posts with photographic proof that I have made highlighting these serious societal and safety problems over the past several years. This continues to be a huge problem in Saudi Arabia with sadly no end in sight.




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Post Links:

Women Can't Drive Here but Children Can!

The Dangerous & Crazy Streets of Jeddah

Driving Madness

In the Driver's Seat

Buckled Up Kids? Nope!

OurWorld: In the Driver's Seat

While women won't be officially allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia until June of this year, men and underage boys continue to get away with unsafe and illegal driving habits.  In Saudi Arabia it is not unusual to see toddlers sitting on Dad's lap while he's driving, or boys too young to get a driver's license behind the wheel.  Does Dad realize that any small impact will release the safety airbag and his child will likely be killed by that? I do hope that once women actually do start driving here that these shocking and foolish habits will disappear.



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Jeddah Driver Danger

I see dangerous things like this all the time here in Saudi Arabia, in addition to boys too young to have a drivers license driving.

Our World: Cell Phones and Driving

While new laws in Saudi Arabia require vehicle occupants to wear seatbelts and prohibit use of cell phones while driving, unfortunately many drivers continue their bad and dangerous habits.




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SkyWatch: Jeddah Tunnel Traffic

The dismantling of Jeddah's huge traffic circles at major intersections is still ongoing.  They have been and are being replaced with underpasses and bridges in an effort to alleviate extreme traffic congestion.  Personally, I believe this action is coming about twenty years late, and in my mind, traffic is still as bad as ever.


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Jeddah: Obstacles to Traffic Flow

I've written many times complaining about the traffic congestion in Jeddah. This city is very long and narrow, running for miles and miles along the Red Sea Coast, yet not stretching very wide across.  Many of the streets are blocked off with pylons like this, making right turns, left turns, or U-turns impossible.  Roads are blocked everywhere all over Jeddah.  Traffic flows fairly well north to south, but the problems arise when you need to turn left or turn around.  Vehicles are forced to go miles and miles beyond where they need to go in order to make a left turn or a U-turn.  This means that cars are on the roads creating more traffic congestion than is necessary.  It wastes everyone's time and gas.

Traffic flow continues to be a major problem for the residents of Jeddah.  I have never seen such flawed thought and poor planning of roadways in any city I have ever seen. 

Jeddah: Bridges and Tunnels

The face of Jeddah has been changing significantly over the past few years.  Many of Jeddah's major intersections have been replaced by tunnels and bridges in hopes of easing the horrific traffic congestion.  Jeddah's shape runs lengthwise from north to south and is a very narrow city from east to west.  At many busy intersections that formerly sported huge roundabouts which featured immense pieces of art, the artwork has been moved elsewhere. 

Our World: Driving in Saudi Arabia

Since I am a woman, I cannot drive a car in Saudi Arabia.  But there was no one stopping me from driving this boat on the Red Sea!  In the background is the beach resort area north of Jeddah called Durrat al Aroos, which translates roughly to the best of the bride.  The seaport of Jeddah is known as the bride of the Red Sea.

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Jeddah: Lock and Chain

Another lovely old carved door in Jeddah's Al Balad district.  I like the lock and chain.  The little stickers on the wall are likely for restaurants to deliver food.  Since women are not allowed to drive in this country, nearly all restaurants offer delivery, even fast food restaurants like McDonalds and Burger King.  

The Real Reason Why I Cannot Drive in Saudi Arabia

This is the video I made for the Women's Driving Campaign movement.  Some people might be shocked at my use - twice - of the "P" word.  But basically it is the real reason why I am denied the right to drive here in this country.

What Women Do in Saudi Arabia: They Wait

The way this society is set up in Saudi Arabia wastes a lot of people's time.  Since women cannot legally drive, they frequently must wait around for their transportation instead of just hopping into their cars and driving themselves.  I once waited 3 hours for a driver to come and pick me up.  Many foreign drivers are brought into the country just to drive women around.  Often drivers can be seen waiting outside malls where women shop, waiting to take them to their next destination.   Not allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia is extremely inefficient for this society, among other things.

Driving Madness

I complain all the time about the fact that I cannot drive here in Saudi Arabia because I am a woman.  This fact is especially maddening when I see such careless and dangerous driving habits every time we are out, such as reckless driving, little boys behind the wheel, children not buckled in and hanging out the windows, and many other crazy infractions too numerous to mention. 

This photo shows something I might see on a typical day on the streets of Jeddah.  Yes, that is a small child's head sticking up out through the open sun roof of the vehicle.  I get so angry when I see things like this, but it happens all the time.  Just yesterday I saw a big SUV with several children riding on TOP of the roof of the moving car.  I was so stunned I didn't have a chance to get my camera ready - otherwise I would have posted that picture for you too.  * sigh *

Our World: Baby on Board

Babies are so precious in Saudi Arabia - and that's why it's so hard to believe when I see sights like this every single day.  Most Saudis do not use seat belts and most do not buckle in their kids or use car seats for younger children. In this country women are not allowed to drive either.  So it probably comes as no surprise to learn that Saudi Arabia ranks very high on the worldwide list for traffic accidents and fatalities. 




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