Women traffic violators to be detained at care homes for girls

Women who commit traffic violations punishable with detention will be detained at Girls Care Homes.

An approval to this effect was given by the Council of Ministers chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah on Tuesday evening.

The Traffic Department proposed that women drivers committing traffic violations be admitted to care homes and have their vehicles impounded.

Women below 30 years of age will be released from the homes only by a judge’s order.

Women above 30 years of age can leave the home after serving their term, the Traffic Department proposed.

Girls Care Homes are affiliated with the Ministry of Labor and Social Development (MLSD).

In March this year, the ministry announced plans to rent five new buildings to establish new homes for the care of girls in various areas of the Kingdom.

There are currently seven such homes all over the Kingdom. With the new buildings, the total number of care homes will rise to 12.

The ministry aims to have a care home in every province in the Kingdom.

The ministry is looking for buildings with specific descriptions.

Each building requires facilities to set up six divisions, including administration offices, a school, a male area, an activities area, the reception hall and the cafeteria.

The building has to be far from industrial districts and away from schools but not in rural areas.

Care homes for girls are set up to take care of girls who have been involved in criminal cases. The homes should provide opportunities for education, social development, health care and religious studies.

Director of Traffic Department Maj. Gen. Muhammad Bin Abdullah Al-Bassami said last month that men and women will be treated equally before the law.

He said women are working in the Traffic Department in monitoring violations, such as not fastening the seat belt and talking on a mobile phone while driving.

Saudi Arabia on Monday began issuing its first driving licenses to women, just weeks before the implementation of the historic move to allow women to drive.

Ten Saudi women swapped their foreign licenses for Saudi licenses in multiple cities, including Riyadh.

In preparation for women driving, Saudi Arabia last week passed a landmark law to criminalize sexual harassment, introducing a prison term of up to five years and a maximum penalty of SR300,000 ($80,000).