Women can't drive, but children can

Women are strictly forbidden from driving in Saudi Arabia. So you can imagine how Susie, an American expat living in Jeddah, feels when she sees boys barely older than ten cruising at the wheel of their flashy SUVs.

Saudi Arabia has one of the highest road accident rates in the world. According to the Saudi transport ministry , there were 485,931 accidents on Saudi roads in 2008, 6,458 of which resulted in loss of life.

“I’m just angered these spoilt little brats are allowed to drive when I’m not”

Susie lives in the western city of Jeddah. She writes a blog, Susie's big adventure.

What really galls me is the fact that I - a responsible female driver with a proven track record of safety and skill and years of experience - am not allowed to drive here in Saudi Arabia, yet frequently I have seen children - specifically young boys - driving who are definitely not old enough to have a driver's license.

I have tried to find out the legal driving age requirement here in Saudi Arabia, but that information is as elusive as the traffic laws. I've seen various accounts that range from 17 to 25, and just about every age in between. All I do know is that many of the drivers I have seen here are nowhere close to approaching their 17th birthday, let alone being 25.

One day I was crossing the street in a quiet residential section of town, and I was almost run over by a car driven by a boy who looked as though he couldn't have been a day over 10! These young boys drive, stretching and craning their necks in an effort to see over the steering wheel. This is not something I see every day because I am not out and about every day, but it happens with enough frequency that I am not shocked any more when I see it - I'm just angered that I am not allowed to drive here, yet these spoiled little brats CAN. As in many countries of the world, most boys here are raised to believe that they are superior to their sisters and are given special privileges just because they were born with a little extra appendage that girls don't have.

I'm guessing this boy is about eight years old - driving this big SUV on the busy streets of Jeddah AT NIGHT, during Ramadan, when traffic is especially heavy. In the front passenger seat is a bearded grown man, probably his father. It's hard to make out, but there are two other children in the back seat. None of the vehicle's occupants are wearing their seatbelts, of course. Most Saudis do not wear seatbelts as a rule, nor do they impress upon their children the importance of doing so. ".

Comments

pls sussie there are more

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 11/10/2009 - 02:29.

pls sussie there are more pressing issues in your country,why bother on saudi arabia,its not your homeland nor is it the city you visit for your pilgrimage.
How sure are you that the person in the drivers seat is underaged,you cant just tell.
pls you are in no position to tell muslims how to run their country,if you are really crazy about driving,then i suggest you go join F1 racing.

Re: Saudi Young Drivers

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Tue, 29/09/2009 - 06:23.

Hi Susie, I fully agree with you that it is hazadous nit to mention insanely dangerous to have these young children drive, however being a Saudi Arabian myself i must stress the point that this is nothing new and has been going on for a number of years. Also, if you not happy with what you see, i urge you to change your location as Saudi Arabians do not welcome such criticism. You will sooner or later just be makign yourself heard to the wrong people.

I certainly agree that it is

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 23/09/2009 - 06:49.

I certainly agree that it is ridiculous to let young children drive automobiles, but letting women drive is not exactly going to reduce traffic accident rates.

Saudi drivers

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Tue, 22/09/2009 - 23:32.

Susie
If you are so unsatisfied with how the Saudis run their country, why don't go back to your native country, then you can smoke those tires as much as you want.
You don't see the Saudis going to your land, and banning homosexuality.
Get real, abide by Saudi rules or board the next flight to your favorite western "democracy"!!!

"You don't see the Saudis

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 23/09/2009 - 11:47.

"You don't see the Saudis going to your land, and banning homosexuality.
Get real, abide by Saudi rules or board the next flight to your favorite western "democracy"!!!"

The Saudis would dearly love to ban homosexuality in the West. They have been funding mosque construction in Europe for years pumping out their fanatical brand of Islam, which our governments stupidly allow.

Women not allowed

Submitted by concerned muslim (not verified) on Sat, 03/10/2009 - 04:11.

That may be right to you but unfortunately I don't accept the fact that Saudi's are in the front line in banning homosexuality, coz them Saudis are homosexual themselves with a high feeling of arrogance which is banned in the Islamic religion.
Today we see Saudi's mistreating other people who came to work for them especially from the third world countries just because they came from poor nations is that what Islam has taught them I am a Muslim but I am ashamed of what Saudi's do they have spoiled and tarnished the name our amazing religion(Islam).

So my dear friend you should ask your fellow Saudis to change their moral values and abide by the Holy book.

Stop mistreating other we are all human beings and all in equal infront of Allah.

You'll find dumb laws in every country it's just that many media outlets from Europe and the US focus on the Muslim world because we're currently at war with them for their natural resources.