Source: Alriyadh

An 18-year-old Saudi bride died along with several family members after their vehicle crashed while on their way to her wedding, Al Riyadh newspaper reported.

According to the local publication, the horrific accident took place in Al Mahd governorate on Monday. 

In his statement on the matter, Saudi Red Crescent spokesman Khaled Al Sahli said a team of first responders arrived at the scene after they got a call reporting the crash. 

"There were 2 victims already deceased and another 2 who were seriously injured. Those injured were immediately transported to nearby hospitals for treatment," he added

The tragic case shocked hundreds on social media who shared their condolences and raised alarm over the high rate of traffic accidents occurring in the kingdom.

News of the tragic accident went viral on social media

"Even though I don't know them, I am deeply saddened by this"

"Today's news is beyond heartbreaking. May God have mercy on their souls"

"My heart is breaking for them"

Traffic accidents are a major cause of death in Saudi Arabia

Car accidents are considered one of the major causes of death in Saudi Arabia. 

According to the most recent statistics, a car accident happens every minute on average in the kingdom. This adds up to more than 460,000 crashes per year.

In 2017 alone, the country recorded over 7,000 deaths related to car accidents. 

In 2016, 9,000 car accident fatalities - a number that translates to 12 percent of the total deaths - were recorded. This marked the highest increase in traffic-related deaths since 2007. 

However, overall, things are getting better due to the implementation of the kingdom's electronic traffic management system, Saher.

"The introduction of Saher system has reduced the severity of traffic accident injuries by 20 percent and mortality rate by 37.8 percent,” Sulaiman Al-Ghannam, a principal investigator, told Arab News.

This year, the system continued to contribute to lowering the rate of road accidents. While still remarkably high, the rate of crashes and related deaths appears slightly lower than it was in 2016.