EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Traffic jams are issues being experienced in many of the countries across the world, both
the technological and industrial developed and non-technological and industrial developing
countries. However, there is a difference in the quantity of traffic issues due to the disparities
available in between countries. In Kuwait, the issue of traffic is almost a normal thing. The low
oil price is one of the contributing factors for the traffic issues. Besides, there is no uncertainty
that the street type and distinctive as far as introduction and expansiveness and encompassed by
rocks and trees and others are the reason for mishaps' causes notwithstanding the vehicle.
Kuwait's traffic accidents are positioned ninth as the primary source of death around the
world, and are anticipated to move to the third position by 2020. The gauge cost of car accidents
all-inclusive arrives at 518 billion US dollars every year. Kuwait is one of the nations with the
most noteworthy number of auto collisions fatalities on the planet. It is positioned first in the
Middle East, with 28 deaths for each 100,000 vehicles. The study looks at the traffic issues of
Kuwait, causes, and their effects on the economy of Kuwait.
TRAFFIC ISSUES IN KUWAIT 4
INTRODUCTION
This Report examines the traffic jams in Kuwait. Thus, the primary aim of this Report is to
analyze the causes leading to higher traffic issues in Kuwait. Another goal of this Report is to
relate the increased traffic issues in Kuwait with the overall effects of traffic issues in the Kuwait
economy. As such, this Report strives to provide enough answers to these research questions:
What causes increased traffic jams in Kuwait?
What are the effects of the increased traffic issues in Kuwait?
The article follows a structured structure by which the history section presents the primary
problem from a wider viewpoint. The study segment then continues to discuss two main sources
that offer important answers to our research questions. Finally, the conclusion and advice portion
include a review of the findings and a variety of recommendations that can help to address this
big problem.
TRAFFIC ISSUES IN KUWAIT 5
BACKGROUND
Kuwait is one of the rapidly growing countries across the world because it is rich in oil
that earns the country income as well as foreign exchange. Therefore, traffic issues are not the
new things that this country is experiencing. Traffic jam refers to the number of automobiles
caught in a sequence. It is one of the biggest problems in any large or small town in the country.
Very definitely, there is more road traffic in major towns and villages. Of the reasons for this can
also be listed as driving with unlicensed cars, the number of unlicensed cars has risen from a few
years, which also results in a traffic rules violation. The arrival of a car in a no-parking zone is
also a source of road traffic. Consequently, road traffic can create multiple issues for the
individual's professional life and personal life, such as hospital, driving, education, and many
others.
Many of the time, ambulances and fire brigades are in a rush, but they are delayed
because of traffic delays. However, the issue can be solved by different steps, such as increasing
number of highways, traffic height, underpasses, bridges, and overflight as well. However, as far
as Kuwait is concerned, the region, along with the other that nations, has faced restrictions on
advancement due to many problems related to traffic. In comparison to the big problems in
Kuwait, it has declined rapidly due to a complete lack of forethought and preparation. At the
bottom of the track, the problem is simple; there are many vehicles on the lane. Thus, the only
solution to deal with traffic issues in Kuwait will be either to decrease cars on the route or create
more highways for many vehicles available to use.
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ANALYSIS
What causes increased traffic jams in Kuwait?
The section focuses on the reasons why there are more traffic jams in Kuwait. Kuwait,
together with most developing nations, has seen its development hampered by crushing traffic
problems. The traffic situation in Kuwait has worsened rapidly due to a complete lack of
preparation and foresight. Some of the causes include cheap cars that can be most population can
afford, cheap oils because of government subsidy, driving with unlicensed vehicles, and other
significant issues. Nevertheless, the Report focuses on the one major cause of traffic issues in
Kuwait, i.e., low oil prices. Kuwait supply oil in gas stations at a price lower than the market
price (Al-Babtain, 2009). This is called subsidy, where the Kuwait government lowers the oil
prices for the citizens. The Kuwait government subsidizes the oil product to reduce citizen's cost
of burden. Many countries that export oil usually has a subsidy for their citizens.
With the increased availability of cheaper oils, many people can afford to commute with
their cars. Besides, the less people will use government public means of transport. In Kuwait, if
everyone utilizes their stand-out vehicle and individual vehicle, in this manner, traffic will
increment. The specialists should sift through development to empower individuals'
improvement starting with one zone then onto the accompanying Kuwait is inevitably standing
up to certain traffic occupations that have been antagonistically puncturing people, affiliations,
meeting, and the national cash related framework when everything is said in done.
The following bar graph shows how Kuwait subsidizes the fuel prices for its citizens to
cushion them of economic hardships. Subsidy of fuels is in place in many of the countries.
Figure 1: Ranking of countries with the highest subsidy on fuel.
TRAFFIC ISSUES IN KUWAIT 7
QatarKuwaitBahrainEgypt
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
RankPrice/gal2
As can be seen, Kuwait sells its oil at around 1 dollar for every gallon. Other
countries sell their gas seven or multiple times the cost in Kuwait (Al-Babtain, 2009). I am not
proposing that we execute a fuel charge, however, that we ought just to abrogate the sponsorship.
Therefore, the people will be able to afford the fuel the traffic jam will increase on the roads.
This would cause some swelling, yet the diminished traffic would more than compensate for that
by expanding profitability.
What causes increased traffic jams in Kuwait?
The section of the Report assesses the effect of traffic issues on Kuwait and its citizens.
There are many effects of traffic jams brought about by many problems. In the Kuwaiti society,
specifically, Kuwaitis had more opportunities and receptiveness to stay aware of this enormous
and fast improvement of present-day innovation as Gulf social orders in the obtaining of vehicles
of various sorts, and the State of Kuwait, as different nations are experiencing traffic issue which
structures congestion and traffic accidents which are deadly as well as environmental issues.
Traffic congestion is a significant problem in Kuwait. The rate of congestion is more than 3% of
TRAFFIC ISSUES IN KUWAIT 8
the GOP per year. 6 At the international level of congestion, Kuwait is currently ranked 4th in
the world concerning the number of registered vehicles per kilometer of road. However, one of
the significant effects created by traffic issues is the death of people due to traffic accidents that
have increased.
The many car accidents in Kuwait has increased the traffic fatalities by a higher
percentage. Kuwait is one of the countries with the most astonishing number of vehicle incidents
fatalities on the planet; it is situated first in the Middle East with 28 deaths for every 100,000
vehicles. The traffic issues in Kuwait are exceptional and have ended up being progressively
genuine and confounded consistently (HAJEEH, n.d.). The examination communicates that
pioneers in Kuwait take real and speedy exercises to decide the traffic issue and the danger
related to it before it winds up extraordinary and irreversible. The graph plots below show the
number of how traffic issues have caused more deaths in Kuwait when compared to fatalities in
other countries from the middle east. The plot in the orange bar shows the traffic fatalities in the
countries from the middle east per 100 000 vehicles. However, the plots in blue bars indicate the
population of the countries in millions.
Figure: Traffic deaths per 100,000 cars in some countries in the Middle East.
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AlgeriaBahrainKuwaitJordan
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Population in MillionsTraffic fatalities per 100 000
Source: United Nation Development Programme; World Health Organization 2005 [18]
In this bar graph, Kuwait has the highest number of fatalities per 100 000 vehicles when
compared to other countries found in the middle east between the years 200 to 2009. Bahrain, on
the other hand, has the smallest number of traffic fatalities amongst the nations (HAJEEH, n.d.).
It is clear that traffic jam has caused much suffering to the Kuwait citizens because many people
died every year. An increase in traffic jams has resulted in a corresponding rise in traffic
accidents, which has led to the death of drivers, passengers, and even the pedestrians who are hit
by the vehicles while navigating through the traffic jam.
TRAFFIC ISSUES IN KUWAIT 10
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The Report looked at traffic jams in Kuwait, their causes, and the effects as well. The
answers in two research questions which had the main impact on the main topic under study. The
two questions include: What causes increased traffic jams in Kuwait? And What are the effects
of the increased traffic issues in Kuwait? Kuwait is one of the developing countries in the Middle
East whose economy depends mostly on the exportation of crude oil. Nevertheless, the oils have
contributed to traffic issues in the country because of the low prices of the oil.
Several factors contribute to traffic jams in Kuwait besides the subsidy of oils that make
more people to use their commuters. Some of them include Unlicensed vehicles, poor road
network, and many more. On the effects of Traffic jams, deaths that result from traffic accidents
has been a significant factor. However, other effects of traffic jams are available, including
pollution, traffic congestions, and economic impact as well. For the Kuwait government to
reduce and eliminate the traffic issues in the country, I do recommend that the fuel subsidy
should be abolished (Al-Babtain, 2009). Also, the Kuwaiti government should raise the driving
age to 21, and offer affordable alternative public means of transport.
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REFERENCES
Al-Babtain, B. (2009, June 20). Traffic in Kuwait. re: Kuwait. Retrieved May 6, 2020, from
https://rekuwait.wordpress.com/2009/06/14/traffic-in-kuwait/.
Basel M. Al -Eideh, "Statistical Analytical Study of Traffic Accidents and Violations in the State
of Kuwait and Its Social and Economic Impact in the Kuwaiti society." American
Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, vol. 4, no. 2 (2016): 24-36. DOI:
10.12691/ajams-4-2-1.
HAJEEH, M. A. (n.d.). Analysis of Traffic Problems in Kuwait. www.undp.org. Retrieved May
6, 2020, from
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/92ce/4bde13e7e9c9387e551f7b49e0a358aaf04d.pdf?_ga
=2.180559527.1455307312.1588731589-1455976165.1588731589.