Tragedy struck for a Qatari family of seven as they experienced a road accident in Saudi Arabia, resulting in the loss of three lives, according to Saudi medics.
The incident occurred on a highway near the Saudi coastal city of Salwa, close to the border with Qatar. The Salwa General Hospital's ambulatory teams promptly responded to the mishap in collaboration with the Saudi Red Crescent teams.
While four other family members were rushed to the hospital, the extent of their injuries remains undisclosed.
The cause of the tragedy is yet to be revealed.
Recent Road Crashes in the Kingdom:
In the past months, Saudi media has reported several deadly accidents.
. Last month, a collision between two vehicles on a road leading to the Saudi holy city of Medina resulted in four fatalities.
. In May, a bus carrying university students collided with a car in the central city of Buraidah, leading to one female student's death and injuring 24 others, as reported by their university.
. In March, a tragic incident in the south-western Asir region claimed the lives of 21 Umrah pilgrims, with 29 others sustaining injuries when their bus overturned.
Toughening Penalties to Curb Accidents:
In an effort to reduce road crashes, Saudi authorities have toughened penalties against traffic offenses.
Over the past five years, traffic fatalities have decreased by approximately 35% since 2016.
The annual cost of traffic accidents in Saudi Arabia is estimated at around SR11.7 billion.
In 2022, there were around 9,420 registered accidents within the Kingdom's cities and 7,542 outside, leading to a total of 4,555 deaths.
According to official figures and findings by a ministerial committee for traffic safety, male drivers have been more frequently involved in these mishaps than women.
