RIYADH: Saudi driving instructor Rasha Zamzami turned her fear of cars into a passion following a tragic accident where her niece was almost overrun about 11 years ago, becoming a social media star in the process.
“I was sitting in the backseat with my niece on my lap. The car’s door wasn’t securely locked, so my niece opened it, and I saw a car driving over her; fortunately, she squeaked past the tires,” Zamzami told Arab News.
“The music in the car was so loud, no one could hear my screams. I jumped out of the car in the roundabout, ran to my niece and grabbed her, and I immediately took her to the hospital. Fortunately, she survived.”
With her own captivating story, Rasha Zamzami is inspiring women in the Kingdom to face their fears and be resilient in the face of obstacles. (Instagram/rasha.drive)
Since the horrific event, Zamzami developed a phobia of cars, and was left tightly gripping seats out of terror as a passenger and avoiding loud music in vehicles as well. “This affected me since I used to cover my eyes when I got into a car, but I made the decision to learn how to drive because I wanted to do my own tasks after getting divorced.”
As a single mother who wanted to become self-reliant, Zamzami overcame her fears by not only learning to drive, but also obtaining a driving instructor license in Jeddah.
Saudi driving instructor Rasha Zamzami uses her social media platforms to promote a safe driving culture. (Supplied)
She shares informative clips with her more than 128,000 followers on TikTok account Drive.Rasha. With her go-getter attitude, she also has caught the attention of the automotive industry, which frequently collaborates with the social media sensation on paid car campaigns, sponsorships and advertisements.
HIGHLIGHTS
• As a single mother who wanted to become self-reliant, Rasha Zamzami overcame her fears by not only learning to drive, but also obtaining a driving instructor license in Jeddah.
• She shares informative clips with her more than 128,000 followers on TikTok account drive.rasha.
“Fear turned into passion, and my love of vehicles opened up so many opportunities for me that, as a single mother, I can now support my three children, travel, and lead a good life relying only on myself and my abilities,” she said.
Zamzami often has to battle keyboard warriors who try to put her down for her choice of career. “I have heard so many remarks that claim women are incapable of operating a vehicle, that they are ‘queens’ in their own homes, and that driving is not appropriate for all girls, but only illiterate and uneducated people would say such things. I advise every woman to be resilient and disregard such annoying comments and continue to drive away,” Zamzami said.
“Women should fly, drive and do their own thing; they are heroes, not victims, and they should use their fears to their advantage.”
https://www.instagram.com/drive.rasha
