Saudi road code sets parking requirements to boost traffic safety

The General Authority for Roads has announced that the Saudi Road Code includes technical requirements for organizing roadside parking, aimed at enhancing traffic safety as part of ongoing efforts to improve quality of life and raise safety and efficiency standards across the Kingdom’s road network.

The authority explained that these requirements stipulate a minimum distance of 15 meters between the stop line at traffic signals and the first parking space at intersections with signals, and a minimum of 6 meters at intersections without signals.

The regulations also require a safe distance between pedestrian crossings and the first parking space, and mandate that parallel parking spaces be separated by barriers to prevent empty spaces from being used as vehicle lanes.

The authority stated that the code serves as a comprehensive technical reference for all entities responsible for the road sector in Saudi Arabia, including ministries, urban development authorities, regional municipalities, and city and governorate councils. It provides access to information, guidelines, technical drawings, procedures, and checklists necessary for planning, designing, implementing, operating, and maintaining all types of roads, while considering environmental standards and safety requirements.

The authority noted that the Saudi Road Code supports its strategy to establish a unified legislative and regulatory framework for the road sector in the Kingdom. By standardizing technical and operational criteria nationwide, it enables road owners to systematically and sustainably improve the quality of their work, covering all stages of a road’s lifecycle—from design and construction to ongoing operation and maintenance—within a unified regulatory framework that ensures the highest levels of efficiency and safety.

The authority reaffirmed its commitment to providing a unified and transparent legislative and regulatory system that ensures policy integration and regulatory compliance, through mechanisms that guarantee adherence to laws and regulations, in line with its mandate to organize and regulate the road sector, including the launch of the Saudi Road Code.