Saudi Arabia to open more driving schools for women early 2021: Report

Riyadh - More women candidates will also be allowed to use the facilities at driving schools for men.

Saudi Arabia will open more driving schools for women in various parts of the Kingdom at the start of 2021, Al Watan newspaper reported, quoting well-informed sources.

The newspaper also said more women candidates will also be allowed to use the facilities at men's driving schools.

Women will be allowed to use such facilities at the schools at specific periods of time under the supervision of women trainers.

Sources told Al Watan that this move is aimed at easing crowds at women driving schools and facilitating the issuance of more driving licences for female applicants.

Meanwhile, Saudi Gazette said that, according to a report of the General Authority for Statistics, the number of driving licences issued to women during the period from June 24, 2018, to January 2020 reached 174,624, of which Saudi women licence holders represented 84.8 per cent.

Around 47.7 per cent of licences were issued in Riyadh, with the Eastern Province second with 27.9 per cent of licences issued and the Makkah region third with14.4 per cent of licences issued.

There are currently five women driving schools in the Kingdom: in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Madinah and Tabuk.

• Saudi Arabia