The Saudi roads had welcomed some new drivers. No, they are not boys who got their drivers’ license, but women who are exercising their driving rights.
Social media was abuzz in the wee hours of Sunday with celebratory videos and posts, while police officers handed out roses to female drivers on the first-day women are allowed to drive legally in Saudi Arabia.
Many Saudis stayed up late until the early hours of June 24, to mark the historic moment.
Check out the Twitter videos:
This is a proud moment! Congratulations Saudi Arabia! #??????_????????_???? pic.twitter.com/s8KglC1cRX
— Almas Malik (@almasmalek) June 23, 2018
#??????_????????_????. #??????_????????_????
It’s Your Big Day Girl ??. ???? ???? ???????? pic.twitter.com/Gx4yzMT0ls
— afraah alkhudhri (@afraahalkhudhri) June 23, 2018
#??????_????????_??????? yess pic.twitter.com/kH4H7n2iyC
— shahad Alyemni (@Shahd_NY) June 23, 2018
“I’m so proud to be a Saudi womannn!… I can’t wait to see what the future holds. Never forget to always wear a seatbelt and please always stay safe!!” posted Reem Alsanea (@reemalsanea_) on Twitter.
Meanwhile, pictures of Saudi police officers handing out roses to female drivers are going around on social media, too.
#Saudi police officers hand out roses to female drivers on landmark day. #HerDayHerWay #AllAboutHer #??????_????????_???? pic.twitter.com/0soTG3lh70
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) June 23, 2018
READ ALSO: Is Saudi Arabia Going to Turn Qatar into an Island?
In the past, a woman looking to buy a car in Saudi Arabia would focus on the features in the back, but now a woman checks out the driver’s seat, picturing herself doing grocery store runs or school drop-offs.
This Sunday, the kingdom has lifted the world’s only ban on women driving, a milestone for women who have had to rely on drivers, male relatives, taxis and ride-hailing services to get to work, go shopping and get around.
The move could help boost the Saudi economy by ensuring stronger female participation in the workforce, meaning increased household incomes.
Car companies also see opportunity in this country of 20 million people, half of them female. Ahead of the ban being lifted, they’ve put Saudi saleswomen on showroom floors and targeted potential new drivers with advertising and social media marketing. Earlier this year, Ford sponsored a driving experience specifically for women in the city of Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia is the largest automobile market in the Middle East, with at least 405,000 cars expected to be sold this year. That’s down significantly from a few years ago, and the cost of buying a new car has gone up with the introduction of a value-added tax.
Still, car sales are expected to increase between six and 10 per cent once women start driving, the chairman of the national committee for cars at the Council of Saudi Chambers told.
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia issued its first driver’s licences to 10 women who already had licences from other countries.
Special driving schools have been set up, car showrooms are heaving with prospective female buyers, and events are being held in Riyadh to encourage new drivers.
The first group of women received their Saudi driving licences on June 4.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) stated that authorities then also started swapping international licences for Saudi ones in multiple locations across the kingdom, with women applicants made to undergo a “practical test”
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