BY KELLY DOWNING
After living in Saudi Arabia for five years, I was overcome with shock and relief when the royal decree permitting women to drive was announced last September. Almost a year later, my license has been in my hand for three months and I have to pause to remember life before driving.
As an expat firmly planted in this country, by way of my Saudi husband and sons, I am thrilled with the changes happening here. There is a new lightheartedness among strangers, a sense of empowerment among women, and hopeful suspense as we watch Saudi Vision 2030 unfold in our lives. Yet, there’s no one more affected by this decree than Saudi women themselves. I spoke with four women to find out how they view the changes.
Jameela Balahmar converted her foreign license this summer.
“I chose to begin driving myself because I feel a lot safer. I know I’m a safe driver compared to any drivers I’ve ever had.”
She also mentions saving money as a motivation for getting her license. Sarah Abdullah, who plans to attend driving school soon, agrees: “I hope we will become a more practical culture and how we view time and money will change.”
When Sarah’s sister Hind first obtained her Saudi license, she experienced a mix of emotions. Hind remembers feeling, “accomplishment, relief, consciousness of being part of history, and silly for feeling this much about something that I should’ve had all along.” Also remembering her experience with a sense of humor, Jameela acknowledges that it “may seem silly, but I felt human, and free.” While Sarah Saktawi, a working mother of two, exclaimed that after getting her license, she “felt like a proud successful Saudi woman that can finally drive her kids to school and herself to work!”
Family obligations are a shared motivation in this group’s decision to drive. Hind points out,
“I can run errands for me and my family, avoiding the desperation of waiting for another person to get basic things done.”
Yet, Sarah acknowledges that this shift in responsibility will affect the family structure, partly due to the ability of women to make their own choices and decisions. “And from that change,” she continues, “a new set of beliefs will emerge influencing our culture.” Some of these changes, Hind says, will “help many traditional conservative family members to re-think all applied cultural limitations.” Sarah Saktawi has a playful approach to her new family dynamics. “I do drive myself everywhere at the moment, unless we are going out as a family. I do enjoy being a DJ in the passenger seat.”
After a lifetime of being required to sit in passenger seats, taking the driver’s seat can be surreal. As Hind shares, “It’s still registered in my mind that I am doing something wrong. Even though I drove for many years abroad, I have to convince my brain that this is okay here.” Yet Sarah Saktawi points out, the transition is not as difficult as one may expect since “We have witnessed a lot of inconsiderate drivers even just being in the passenger or backseat. So, I was actually pretty ready for some of the surprises I faced on the road.” Fortunately, she reports there has been “nothing extreme or bad experiences from any male drivers on the road.”
The ability to drive is a significant step towards the fulfillment of Vision 2030. While this change is among the first to be implemented, it is clear that Saudi culture will continue to evolve as the transition continues. Sarah Saktawi is hopeful that the cultural evolution will benefit future generations and states, “change for the better is always wonderful to witness.” Hind is mindful of erasing Saudi culture and hopes that along with the changes, that “beautiful, valuable cultural Islamic ethics” are preserved.
To exchange your valid driver’s license, set up an Absher account (moi.gov.sa), if you do not have one already. Then, apply for the appointment through sdlp.sa. Your foreign license, national ID or iqama, and translation of the foreign license will be required for upload. Before your appointment, you must pay the fees (SADAD is a convenient option) and complete a medical check. Alternatively, if you do not have a valid license, register for driving classes at PNU (sds.pnu.edu.sa).
TIPS FOR DRIVING AS AN EXPAT IN RIYADH
- Traffic flow takes precedence over lane markings. Lanes may end without signage and drivers often cut you off without warning, so it’s safest to follow the rhythm of the traffic.
- Use turn signals in roundabouts and construction zones. In these areas, drivers do usually yield if they know where you’re headed.
- Be aware of vehicles that merge onto the highway at very low speeds. This can make exiting the highway tricky as you decelerate in a shared area.
- Approach neighborhood intersections with heightened awareness, as its difficult to see cross-traffic around the walls.
- If you’re a moderate driver, be prepared to change lanes often to find the correct speed. Right lanes are taken by drivers at half the speed limit, left lanes are well above the speed limit.
- Let the road-ragers pass you. Even more so if their car is beat up.
- Park a block from your destination to save a lot of stress
