Use of mobile phone while driving to be monitored in Saudi Arabia

The use of mobile phone while driving will be electronically monitored from Monday, the Directorate General of Traffic (Muroor) announced on Tuesday.

Even touching the mobile phone while driving will be considered a traffic violation for which motorists will be fined SR150 for the first offense.

The fine may increase to SR300 and the violator may be detained for 24 hours.

The Muroor said that seatbelts will also be electronically monitored from Monday and drivers who do not wear them will be fined.

The Traffic Department has installed cameras along roads to detect motorists who use mobile phones while driving as studies have found that this violation is one of the main reasons behind accidents. Cameras also detect motorists who do not use seatbelts.

A study conducted by King Abdullah Medical Research Center in Riyadh last year showed that 13.8 percent of motorists in the capital city used mobile phones while driving.

The researchers monitored a total of 1,700 cars in 13 main traffic zones of the capital city including expressways and interior roads. There are about five million cars in Riyadh.

In 2015, the Kingdom banned the use of mobile phones while driving.