Traffic congestion in Kuwait
We have previously discussed the unsatisfactory traffic conditions on the country’s streets, which are plagued by chaotic and irregular congestion. This is certainly a phenomenon that the current government cannot tolerate, but rather the result of accumulated negative practices from the past.
Could it be plausible that there is a significant number of ride-hailing taxi vehicles circulating through streets and residential areas 24 hours a day, often trailing one another as if on display, and frequently empty of passengers? All drivers of these vehicles are of Asian and Arab nationalities, and the majority operate vehicles that are neither clean nor hygienic. Some do not speak Arabic or English, meaning they are fundamentally unqualified to obtain a driving license. Consequently, accidents and violations related to obstructing traffic are countless.
Another problem that has further exacerbated the situation is a new phenomenon that has flooded our streets: restaurant delivery vehicles and their unqualified drivers, which also cause traffic obstructions and create endless congestion. Buses that operate around the clock continue their disorganized service without pause, and their drivers are also unqualified and incompetent, leading to traffic jams and increasing the frequency of accidents. As for motorcycles, there is much to say without reservation; the daily problems they cause stem from deteriorated driving skills and their erratic weaving between cars. Their accidents are frequent and can even result in fatalities.
Naturally, the area of the State of Kuwait, which amounts to 17,700 square kilometers, cannot sustain this terrifying volume of vehicles. Therefore, there is an urgent need to reconsider the issuance and regulation of driving licenses, as was done in the past, as well as to regulate the movement of irregular taxi services. From this perspective, I urge the First Deputy Minister of Interior to give this matter utmost importance, in order to safeguard human lives and to work toward resolving the traffic problem to the greatest extent possible. God is the helper.
