Saudi women hit the road as driving ban is lifted

RIYADH: Women in Saudi Arabia are now allowed to drive for the first time since the religiously conservative kingdom overturned the world’s only ban on female motorists.
The lifting of the prohibition on Sunday was first announced last year as part of the then newly-appointed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plans to reform the country.
“Now every woman has the right to drive a car anywhere in the kingdom,” state broadcaster al-Ekhbariya quoted traffic authorities spokesman Colonel Samy bin Mohammad as saying on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia, which has some of the world’s tightest restrictions on women, started issuing its first driving licences for female motorists earlier this month.
On Thursday, it launched a three-day campaign called “place your trust in God and drive” to educate women on driving and raise awareness about safety regulations.