KUWAIT CITY, Aug 25: Three young Kuwaiti citizens between the ages of 20 and 23 years died when their vehicle collided with a dump truck on Salmi Road. According to security sources, when the Operations Room of the Ministry of Interior received information on Saturday night about the accident, police officers, paramedics and firefighters rushed to the location and discovered that the three young Kuwaitis had perished in the accident. A look into their information revealed that they were cousins. Their bodies were referred to the Forensic Medicine Department and a case was registered. The death of the three citizens in an accident on Salmi Road sparked widespread reactions in public forums; especially on social media, as people express deep regret for the recurrence of horrific accidents on the road between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Given the painful accident and its repercussions, traffic, road safety and security experts demanded, through an investigation report conducted by the newspaper, for urgent action to stop the loss of life on Salmi Road. They emphasized the importance of addressing problems; specifically the killer potholes, cracked asphalt, poor lighting, narrow lanes, sand dunes and the lack of first aid points. Security expert retired Major General Hamad Al-Suraye expressed sorrow over the recurrence of horrific accidents on the above-mentioned, stressing that it is now known as the ‘Road of Death’. He said “the death of three members of one family in a horrific road accident made everyone feel bitter.

Whenever I see the wrecked cars on both sides of the road as a result of the collision, I wonder how long the loss of lives will continue on Salmi Road.” He called for increasing the number of signposts on the road, and for the concerned authorities to solve the problem of scattered sand by placing asphalt at a distance of not less than 20 meters on both sides of this road to stop the sand from flowing on the road, along with frequent maintenance. He underscored the need for urgent action, especially since it is one of the longest roads in the country, as its length from the Sixth Ring Road facing Jahra up to the end of this road at Salmi border adjacent to the Saudi border is about 120 kilometers. He cited factors that lead to frequent accidents on this road like camel and sheep herders, as their slow movement leads to tragic accidents.

He urged the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) and Jahra Governorate to closely monitor camel herders, put a fence on both sides of the road to prevent animals from going to the road and place a dividing fence between the two directions, so no one makes a U-turn at a random point, in addition to increasing the streetlights. He added that Abdally Road must be fixed as well, because the large number of potholes and damaged asphalt cause frequent fatal accidents.

He suggested increasing the streetlights and placing signposts before the places where sand dunes are located, as sand dunes also cause accidents since they block the road. He asked: Is it reasonable that the regional road is full of problems and continues to take lives, considering it connects Kuwait to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in addition to being a passageway not only for entering Saudi Arabia, but also a link for travelers from many countries via Saudi Arabia? He recommended deploying patrols on the road, establishment of more fuel stations and fencing the entire road. Traffic expert and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Traffic Safety Association Bader Al- Hamadi pointed out that there should be at least three ambulance points on this road; in addition to increasing surveillance cameras, as the number of deaths increases, especially during holidays, with many Kuwaitis traveling to Saudi Arabia and many Saudis traveling to Kuwait.

Al-Hamadi urged the Ministry of Public Works to repair the potholes and irregularities on Salmi Road, wondering where are the agreements on repairing this road. He asserted the ministry always issues the same statement: “Kuwait’s roads in the coming years will be among the best.” However, years have passed without measures to protect people from the dangers of the road. It has become the road of death, the latest tragedy was the death of three of the best young men in the country when their cars collided, he added. He asked the government to hold accountable any party that does not carry out its responsibilities; wondering if the ministries in charge of the road do not read newspapers or look at social media that publish about the tragic accidents on this road.

He continued: If the road was designed on the basis of not having traffic congestion, why are all means not taken to reduce speed on the road? This road has twists and curves; while a number of truck drivers and other cars turn towards the opposite road, separating cars heading to or coming from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which leads to an increase in accidents. He explained that those who survive from accidents on the road end up with tragic injuries, such as a broken pelvis or total paralysis. He stressed the need to light the entire road, as there are several kilometers without lighting, as well as to monitor the companies responsible for maintaining the lighting poles. He also suggested expanding this road to increase the number of lanes, hoping the concerned officials will visit the road morning and evening to see the problem with their own eyes.

A Kuwait Municipality official, who requested anonymity, said the road does not only connect Kuwait to Saudi Arabia, but it is also a crossing for many Arab countries like Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt; in addition to the passage of trucks transporting goods from various countries to Kuwait. He stated the high number of accidents on this road is due to several reasons, including its narrowness despite being an international crossing, randomness and landslides that surprise the driver, especially if he is driving at night. He added the transfer of Amghara scrapyard to Naeem has increased the number of cars on this road. He warned that the problem gets worse in winter or rainy season due to the low capacity of manholes to drain water, so water accumulates and makes the road slippery for vehicles.

By Najeh Bilal and Munif Naif
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff