A fine of 50,000 riyals for cutting road fences: an important warning from the Roads Authority
The General Authority for Roads issued strong warnings regarding encroachment on public property, specifically the fencing along highways in various regions of Saudi Arabia. The Authority emphasized that these practices not only violate regulations and laws but also pose a direct threat to the lives of road users, stressing the importance of adhering to designated crossings for camels and livestock to ensure everyone's safety.
Details of the penalty and legal accountability
The authority clarified in its statement that deliberately cutting roadside barriers is a serious offense punishable by a fine of 50,000 riyals for anyone found guilty of this act. The penalty is not limited to the fine; the perpetrator is also obligated to bear all costs of repairing the damage caused to the infrastructure. These strict measures are intended to deter those who vandalize public property, as damaging barriers allows stray animals to enter the roadway, leading to horrific traffic accidents with often catastrophic consequences.
Context of the crisis: The danger of stray camels and the history of incidents
To understand the importance of these measures, it's necessary to consider the overall context of road safety in the Kingdom. Stray camels have long posed a significant challenge on highways connecting cities and provinces, particularly at night. Historically, the Kingdom has recorded high accident rates due to vehicles colliding with animals crossing roads haphazardly, resulting in substantial human and material losses. Therefore, the road fencing project emerged as a crucial strategic solution to separate grazing areas from road boundaries, aiming to drastically reduce these accidents.
Infrastructure and the goals of Vision 2030
The General Authority for Roads does not operate in isolation from major national trends, as the preservation of roadside barriers is closely linked to the strategic objectives of the roads sector stemming from the Kingdom's Vision 2030. Through these regulations, the Authority seeks to:
- To achieve the Kingdom’s ranking sixth globally in the road quality index by 2030.
- Reduce the road fatality rate to less than 5 deaths per 100,000 people .
- Applying the highest standards of road safety according to the International Road Assessment Programme (IRAP) classification.
The state has provided an integrated infrastructure to serve camel and livestock owners, as the road network currently includes more than 50 crossings dedicated to safe movement, which eliminates the need to cut the fence and enhances traffic management.
shared social responsibility
In closing, the authority called on camel owners to take responsibility and educate their workers about the dangers of trespassing on the fence, emphasizing that safety is a shared responsibility. It also urged all citizens and residents to cooperate by immediately reporting any observations or violations detected on the roads by contacting the unified call center (938) , thus contributing to the preservation of lives and property.
