AL KHOBAR —The roads and communications body in Emirates registered more than 113 Saudi women drivers' licenses, accounting for 36 percent of Saudi female residents in the Emirates. The body said that Saudi women have to prove their residency in the Emirates before they can obtain a license. In addition, driving schools in Dubai have witnessed an increase in Saudi women candidates, as 55 trainees receive a license every month. They receive 46 one hour driving sessions, extending over a three month period, with costs reaching 10,000 Dirham. Many Saudi women have taken residency in the Emirates, and some have started business investments. On the same note, the Bahraini general directorate of traffic said that it has issued more than 6000 driving licenses for Saudi women during the past two years, as they use it to drive in the rest of Gulf countries, which allow women drivers. A number of Saudi women said that they prefer driving their own cars rather than having a driver, and that they feel some independence this way.
