A senior traffic official has warned traffic violators that they will not escape the long arm of the law by using tricks such as driving with illegal Gulf-registered number plates or trying to paint their plates with a so-called “magic spray” being sold on the streets. In a report carried by Arabic daily Al-Hayat, Col. Zaid Al-Hamzi, Director of Public Relations at Jeddah Traffic Administration, warned motorists who try to fool the newly-installed Saher traffic system, they will be caught and face harsh penalties. Al-Hamzi made the comments during a lecture he delivered at an exhibition being organized at King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah, to showcase the Saher program. It was opened for the public on Tuesday. He said these motorists are under the mistaken impression that they can escape punishment by resorting to these “despicable ways”. He made it clear that whatever traffic laws they violate will be registered under the number of these Gulf plates. He said the users of these plates will be harshly punished under a special law, especially since there is no database for these plates. He said some motorists are using the Gulf plates of damaged cars which they buy from Asian brokers. The prices of these fake plates are as high as SR1,500. He added that some merchants have been exploiting simple-minded people by convincing them that a “magic spray” on their plates will prevent the Saher system from detecting any traffic violation. He reiterated that the system has been designed in a manner to detect all traffics violations regardless of these tricks. The system is efficient enough to detect any traffic violation whether motorists use or do not use the spray, he said. He said that in the first stage of Saher, the system will concentrate on speeding cars and those who jump traffic lights. In the presence of a number of doctors and officials from hospitals and health directorates in Jeddah, Col. Al-Hamzi focused on the objectives of the system. One of the basic objectives, he said, is to improve the standard of the traffic system and prevent fatal accidents. It is also aimed at implementing the traffic rules and upgrading the efficiency of the current road network. He said the system is distinguished for achieving the highest standards of traffic safety by using the most sophisticated and latest technology in the field. Apart from this, the integrated Saher system effectively helps in upgrading the efficiency and performance of the traffic police. It also detects and notifies violators. He urged citizens and expatriates to update their data as soon as possible on the Ministry of Interior's website www.moi.gov.sa or through the traffic departments across the Kingdom. He stressed the importance of registering the name of the real user of a vehicle so that the person can be informed about any traffic violation registered against him.
