الرياض كعاصمة ضخمة، مزدحمة، ذات طرق وشوارع متعددة السرعات والمسارات، كانت وستبقى تحدياً لأي سائق، ذكراً كان أو أنثى، وقد كنت من أوائل المبادرين بتشجيع المرأة على الدخول في مضمار القيادة والحد من أعداد السائقين وخفض تكاليف الأسرة بهدر الأموال على رواتبهم وتأشيراتهم ومصاريفهم المعيشية، فضلاً عن مشاكلهم ومسؤولياتهم، ولا زلت حتى اليوم أجد القيادة انفراجة كبرى فتحت لنا آفاق التحرك بمرونة وحرية وخصوصية.
لا شك أن الفوضى في الشوارع لا تقتصر على جنس بعينه، فالشباب -البعض منهم- يقود بتهور وعدم التزام وجسارة مخيفة، ولكن من غير الإنصاف أيضاً تجاهل الواقع المقلق في بعض جوانبه، كجهل بعض النساء بأساسيات ومعايير القيادة السليمة، ما جعل بعض التجارب المرورية معهن مصدر قلق وتوجس، فقيادة السيارة ليست مجرد جلوس خلف المقود وتحريك المركبة، بل هي وعي كامل بالنظام، والتزامات واضحة بالقوانين، وقدرة على التفاعل الآمن مع المحيط. وللأسف، فما زالت بعض السائقات -خاصة من اللاتي لم يتلقين تدريباً كافياً- يفتقدن لهذه المعايير من الارتباك والوقوف غير المنتظم، إلى التجاوزات غير النظامية، إلى فقر المعرفة في المواقف الطارئة، كلها مشاهد تتكرر، لا بفعل القصد غالباً، بل بفعل ضعف المعرفة أو ضعف الإعداد أو الخوف و(التردد)، والأخيرة في تقديري كارثة حقيقية.
المشكلة لا تكمن في «أنهن نساء»، بل في أن بعضهن -كما بعض الرجال- تلقين رخص القيادة دون تأهيل فعلي أو متابعة جدية أو تشجيع في غير محله. وهذا ما ينبغي أن نعترف به دون تحامل ولا مجاملة، فكيف تُمنح الرخصة لمن لا تُجيد قراءة اللوحات الإرشادية للطريق، وكيف تُجتاز اختبارات القيادة من لم تختبر نفسياً في قدرتها على اتخاذ القرار في وقت الأزمات؟ أقول ذلك بشواهد من أرض الواقع وتجارب شخصية مريرة!
الرياض، بتعقيدها المروري وكثافة طرقها، تتطلب مهارات استثنائية في القيادة، وهي ليست بيئة مثالية لتجارب القيادة الأولية، فتعقيدها وكثافتها المرورية يتطلبان تأهيلاً صارماً، لا مجاملة فيه ولا استعجالاً، وهنا لا يقع اللوم على السائق والسائقة وحدهما، بل على من سمح منح الرخص قبل التأكد من الجاهزية الكاملة. ومع ذلك تُلقى بعض النساء -وخاصة الفتيات- في هذا المضمار دون تهيئة، فينتهي الأمر أحياناً بحوادث وصدمات، لا مرورية فقط، بل نفسية أيضاً، وليس من العدل أن تُغطى هذه الأخطاء بدافع العاطفة أو التحيّز، فالتستر على الخطأ لا يصنع سائقاً أفضل ولا حياة آمنة، بل يخلق المزيد من الفوضى والمخاطر، ولاستدراك هذا الخلل المُتسرب إلى هذا المكسب الحضاري الجميل وبسبب جهل بعض السائقات العزيزات بأساسيات القيادة وقواعد المرور، ما جعل من بعض المشاهد اليومية تتطلب وقفة وضبطاً لعدة نقاط:
- تشديد اختبارات القيادة وإعادة النظر في منهجيات التدريب ومنح الرخص.
- دور الأسر في التشديد على التدريب الصحيح وأن الرخصة لا تعني الجدارة الكاملة.
- على السائقات أنفسهن أن يدركن أن الطريق ليس ساحة لإثبات الذات، بل ميدان للمسؤولية والالتزام.
القيادة حق، وقيادة المرأة مكسب وطني واجتماعي، لكن لا بد أن ترافقه ثقافة مرورية عالية، والأهم أن يكون هذا الحق مصحوباً بالوعي، والمهارة، والإلمام!
تابع قناة عكاظ على الواتساب
Riyadh, as a massive, crowded capital with multi-speed roads and lanes, has been and will continue to be a challenge for any driver, whether male or female. I was among the first to encourage women to enter the realm of driving, aiming to reduce the number of drivers and lower family costs by avoiding wasteful spending on their salaries, visas, and living expenses, not to mention their problems and responsibilities. Even today, I still find driving to be a significant breakthrough that has opened up avenues for movement with flexibility, freedom, and privacy.
There is no doubt that the chaos on the streets is not limited to a specific gender. Young people—some of them—drive recklessly, without commitment, and with alarming boldness. However, it is also unfair to ignore the concerning reality in some aspects, such as the ignorance of some women regarding the basics and standards of safe driving. This has made some traffic experiences with them a source of worry and apprehension. Driving a car is not just about sitting behind the wheel and moving the vehicle; it requires full awareness of the system, clear commitments to the laws, and the ability to interact safely with the surroundings. Unfortunately, some female drivers—especially those who have not received adequate training—lack these standards, ranging from confusion and irregular stopping to unlawful overtaking and a lack of knowledge in emergency situations. All of these scenes are repeated, often not out of intent but due to a lack of knowledge, poor preparation, or fear and hesitation, the latter of which I consider a real disaster.
The problem does not lie in "them being women," but in the fact that some of them—like some men—have received driving licenses without actual qualification, serious follow-up, or misplaced encouragement. This is something we must acknowledge without bias or flattery. How can a license be granted to someone who cannot read road signs, and how can driving tests be passed by someone who has not been psychologically assessed for their ability to make decisions in times of crisis? I say this based on real-life evidence and bitter personal experiences!
Riyadh, with its complex traffic and dense roads, requires exceptional driving skills. It is not an ideal environment for initial driving experiences; its complexity and traffic density demand strict qualification, with no leniency or haste involved. Here, the blame does not fall solely on the driver, but also on those who allowed licenses to be issued before ensuring complete readiness. Nevertheless, some women—especially young girls—are thrown into this field without preparation, sometimes resulting in accidents and shocks, not just traffic-related but also psychological. It is unjust to cover up these mistakes out of emotion or bias; concealing errors does not create better drivers or safer lives, but rather creates more chaos and risks. To address this leakage into this beautiful civilizational gain and due to the ignorance of some dear female drivers regarding the basics of driving and traffic rules, some daily scenes require a pause and adjustment of several points:
- Strengthening driving tests and reconsidering training methodologies and the issuance of licenses.
- The role of families in emphasizing proper training and that a license does not equate to full competence.
- Female drivers themselves must realize that the road is not a stage for self-assertion, but a field for responsibility and commitment.
Driving is a right, and women's driving is a national and social gain, but it must be accompanied by a high traffic culture. Most importantly, this right must be accompanied by awareness, skill, and knowledge!
There is no doubt that the chaos on the streets is not limited to a specific gender. Young people—some of them—drive recklessly, without commitment, and with alarming boldness. However, it is also unfair to ignore the concerning reality in some aspects, such as the ignorance of some women regarding the basics and standards of safe driving. This has made some traffic experiences with them a source of worry and apprehension. Driving a car is not just about sitting behind the wheel and moving the vehicle; it requires full awareness of the system, clear commitments to the laws, and the ability to interact safely with the surroundings. Unfortunately, some female drivers—especially those who have not received adequate training—lack these standards, ranging from confusion and irregular stopping to unlawful overtaking and a lack of knowledge in emergency situations. All of these scenes are repeated, often not out of intent but due to a lack of knowledge, poor preparation, or fear and hesitation, the latter of which I consider a real disaster.
The problem does not lie in "them being women," but in the fact that some of them—like some men—have received driving licenses without actual qualification, serious follow-up, or misplaced encouragement. This is something we must acknowledge without bias or flattery. How can a license be granted to someone who cannot read road signs, and how can driving tests be passed by someone who has not been psychologically assessed for their ability to make decisions in times of crisis? I say this based on real-life evidence and bitter personal experiences!
Riyadh, with its complex traffic and dense roads, requires exceptional driving skills. It is not an ideal environment for initial driving experiences; its complexity and traffic density demand strict qualification, with no leniency or haste involved. Here, the blame does not fall solely on the driver, but also on those who allowed licenses to be issued before ensuring complete readiness. Nevertheless, some women—especially young girls—are thrown into this field without preparation, sometimes resulting in accidents and shocks, not just traffic-related but also psychological. It is unjust to cover up these mistakes out of emotion or bias; concealing errors does not create better drivers or safer lives, but rather creates more chaos and risks. To address this leakage into this beautiful civilizational gain and due to the ignorance of some dear female drivers regarding the basics of driving and traffic rules, some daily scenes require a pause and adjustment of several points:
- Strengthening driving tests and reconsidering training methodologies and the issuance of licenses.
- The role of families in emphasizing proper training and that a license does not equate to full competence.
- Female drivers themselves must realize that the road is not a stage for self-assertion, but a field for responsibility and commitment.
Driving is a right, and women's driving is a national and social gain, but it must be accompanied by a high traffic culture. Most importantly, this right must be accompanied by awareness, skill, and knowledge!


