Riyadh newspaper A FEW years ago, two young men in Jeddah died when their car fell into a ditch that hadn't been properly covered by the contractor carrying out a road project. The company had not even bothered to put up a warning sign to alert drivers of the ditch and due to its negligence, two innocent young men lost their lives in an accident that could have easy been averted. There are countless cases like this where people have lost their lives or gotten seriously injured due to negligence on the part of contractors carrying out public works projects. Contractors continue to be careless and, in the absence of warning signs, it is up to drivers to be vigilant and avoid injury or death. Also, when a project is started, rarely are drivers informed how long it will take to finish and what alternative roads to use. Then there is also the serious problem of uncovered manholes. Children and adults alike have fallen in them and lost their lives. If manholes need to be left open, then the least that can be done is to put up a warning sign alerting people of the danger. Victims of such cases usually demand compensation from the responsible authorities and although financial compensation may not be a welcome idea, monetary fines should not be seen as a reward but as a punishment and deterrent. In Spain, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of an 83-year-old man who had slipped and fallen in an uncovered manhole in 2001. The ruling came more than 10 years after the incident because the man had fought his case until he received compensation totaling 20,000 euros. When he had originally file the case, the municipal council tossed it aside and told the man to pay more attention when he walks. The case eventually went to the Supreme Court and it ruled in his favor as there were no warning signs around the manhole where the accident occurred. The court said that the municipality is responsible for the road and the safety of those using it. Now, what are the responsibilities of the municipalities in the Kingdom? When will they be held accountable for negligence that occurs under their respective jurisdictions and how much are they going to pay in compensation to the thousands of victims they have failed to protect? __
