Saudi- Plan to allow vehicle insurance firms to ''probe'' road accidents

(MENAFN- Arab Times) KUWAIT CITY March 20: Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs at the Ministry of Interior Major General Abdullah Al-Muhanna has unveiled a plan to study the possibility of allowing vehicle insurance companies to investigate road accidents as part of the project to privatize traffic services in order to better serve the public reports Al-Rai daily. Al-Muhanna also talked about other plans like increasing the value of insurance for vehicles since their prices have multiplied. He said this will greatly contribute to efforts to reduce the number of cars owned by one person as well as to solve the problem of forgetting to renew the insurance. Asserting he does not believe in the saying that ''traffic is a blessing'' Al-Muhanna argued traffic has many negative aspects as it could disrupt people''s work and prevent them from reaching their work places on time. He stressed there is nothing good in wasting time and the phenomenon usually prompts people to commit more traffic violations.

Moreover Al-Muhanna disclosed around 9000 driving licenses issued to expatriates were cancelled last year for various reasons like change in the line of work or sponsor leaving the country for good and obtaining the license illegally. He said the driving license will be linked to the validity of the residency permit of expatriates and the department will no longer issue driving licenses valid for 10 years. Al-Muhanna went on to say the systems of the Immigration and General Traffic departments have been linked for the payment of fines for traffic violations prior to the renewal of the residency permit. He added there is also a link between the Traffic and Customs departments in the borders to allow the payment of fines before leaving the country.

32 people arrested: Personnel from the General Security Sector headed by Assistant Undersecretary for General Security Affairs at the Ministry of Interior Major-General Abdul Fattah Al-Ali during a security campaign has arrested 32 people reported absconding by their sponsors in addition to 47 residence law violators reports Al-Anba daily. During the campaign police have also arrested a Kuwaiti who was wanted by law in 10 criminal cases and issued 267 traffic citations. Meanwhile the Ahmadi police have arrested a Kuwaiti who was wanted by law reports Al-Rai daily. The man was taken into custody at an inspection point in Fahaheel. The daily added police have seized from the man''s car four guns and 12 rounds of ammunition. He has been handed over to the authorities.