If you are involved in an accident, you are required to get a police report at the scene, even if it is a minor mishap or only your car is involved. It is permissible to move your vehicle in the event of minor accidents if it poses a threat to public safety or obstructs traffic, or if the accident was simple and straightforward, with all parties agreeing on how it happened. You may need to drive out to find the police and lead them back to where the accident took place. Without the report you will not be able to make an insurance claim or get repairs carried out on the car.
If you have a camera with you, take some pictures of the accident scene to support your claim. If there are any injuries, apply basic first aid where appropriate (see the 'First Aid' section) or head to the nearest hospital. Then go straight to the police for an accident report and explain the situation.
If you can’t move your vehicle, you may have to leave it at the scene so that the police can inspect it, and go for help with your buddy vehicle.
If you have GPS, mark the coordinates of your abandoned car. If not, try to remember the location as meticulously as possible, which is especially hard in the desert where everything looks the same.
It is advisable to know a few basics of car maintenance, such as how to change a tyre or check the oil. Furthermore, make sure you have enough petrol for your journey to avoid the embarrassment of having to call out a recovery service because you have an empty tank.
There are certain problems caused by off-road driving. Excessive desert driving at high revs can cause your vehicle to overheat. In the case of this happening, do not turn off the engine – simply stop the car and allow the engine to cool itself down while it is still running. Turning it off will stop the flow of coolant and lead to a temporary increase in temperature that may actually make things worse. Switching on the car heater will redirect the heat away from the engine.
A burning smell – especially common when you are driving in sand – usually means that you are riding the clutch. Stop the vehicle to cool the clutch. When you set off again, use the gears to control the speed. Don’t slip the clutch in an effort to get more traction.
If your car breaks down while you are in convoy, get someone to tow you to the nearest point of civilisation. Even in small towns, you'll usually find garages.
Advice
An ebook version of the Driver’s Manual by the National Traffic Safety Committee – the approved curriculum for obtaining a Saudi driving licence – contains comprehensive advice on local rules and regulations, accident avoidance techniques, safe driving and vehicle maintenance. It is available to view at Dallah Driving School’s website.
Traffic Offences
The rules of the road may differ from what you’re used to, with penalties for not giving way to the right at intersections, and for jaywalking pedestrians. Visit moi.gov.sa to review a list of traffic offences in the Kingdom published by the Ministry of the Interior’s Traffic Department.
Emergency Numbers
Traffic accidents: 993
Ambulance: 997
Police: 999
Fire: 998
Traffic police: 966
General emergency: 112
Useful Numbers
Tourism Call Centre: 930
Tourism International Call Centre: +966 920 000 890
General enquiries: 905
