Women throng universities to learn driving rules, skills

Saudi women have started to learn the skills of motor driving in various universities across the Kingdom, as several universities have obtained licences from traffic police to operate driving schools for women, writes Irfan Mohammed for Saudi Gazette.

A significant number of women have been expressing their desire to learn driving, not only in larger cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah but also cities such as Jazan and Tabuk. More than 73,000 women are eager to learn driving in Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh alone, the first female driving training institution in the Kingdom. Aspirant women need to attend compulsory training courses to apply for a driving licence. For this, universities are ideal venues.

Though formal driving for learners on the road has yet to start, imparting basic skills of driving and also knowing about the vehicle have already begun. Simulators are being used as cars to impart training to women. Technical information, besides safety and traffic rules and regulations, is also being given to them in their orientation programmes.
Full report on the Saudi Gazette site