Saudi Gazette report AL-KHOBAR — Starting next week the unified compulsory vehicle insurance policy will go into effect after insurance companies' databases have successfully been linked with the National Information Center, according to Maj. Gen. Abdul Rahman Al-Muqbil, Director of Traffic. According to the new system, insurance companies will be required to settle claims submitted by the Traffic Department or other concerned authorities within 15 day of receipt of all necessary documents, Al-Madinah daily reported Friday. The insurance policy will not cover road accidents that take place while the driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs or engaged in car drifting stunts. Maj. Gen. Al-Muqbil made the statements during a lecture he delivered recently in Al-Khobar on the occasion of the 29th GCC Traffic Week. He also revealed that many traffic-related services will be available electronically in the near future. He promised people with physical impairments that the department will come up with a solution to facilitate the process of reporting any accidents to the control room. He underscored the importance of respecting parking areas specified for the disabled and urged disabled people to report violations to the control room so that drivers who park their cars in sports reserved for the disabled can be fined. Maj. Gen. Al-Muqbil also said that the department will be linked electronically with the customs department to record violations made by vehicles coming from other Gulf countries. Regarding women's driving, he said if a woman is caught driving in the Kingdom, she will face appropriate procedures and will be issued a ticket for driving without a license. The director also said the proposal for setting up a higher traffic council which will be chaired by Interior Minister Prince Muhammad Bin Naif and which will include members from different ministries has not yet been approved by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The council will be tasked with coming up with a traffic policy and strategy that will use modern technology to reduce traffic accidents on Kingdom's roads.
