Dh50,000 fine for quad bike violations in Dubai

Dubai plans a specially designated area in the desert for quad bike riding to avoid accidents.

The seizure of quad bikes by the Dubai Police rose by 300 per cent in 2015, compared to 2014, the police said on Sunday.
During the launch of the 'Desert Without Blood' campaign, the police noted that quad bike accidents caused 10 deaths and 142 injuries over the course of last year.
Major General Mohammed Saif Al Zafin, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police for Operations, called for the creation of a special area in the desert for quad biking to avoid accidents. "A fenced quad biking area inside the desert under the supervision of the Dubai Municipality and the Roads and Transport Authority will help avoid repeated incidents involving quad bikes. The quality of the vehicles and age of the riders should be strictly regulated," he said, adding that specialised traffic patrols and a clinic for quick handling of accidents would improve the situation. 
As soon as the allocation of the area is completed, legislations would be made to regulate quad bike riding in other areas. Stringent punishment will be given to the offenders to ensure the safety of the riders and others, he added.
The campaign, Desert Without Blood', has been launched to coincide with the school holidays, in order to reduce the risk of some of the practices carried out by teenagers and young people in sandy areas. The campaign will provide the quad bike riders with necessary safety measures including gloves, helmet and chest guards.
The number of accidents involving quad bikes increased to 126 last year against 104 accidents in 2014, resulting in 10 deaths and 142 injuries.
The number of quad bike seizures rose by 300 per cent to 1,142 in  2015, from 387 seizures in 2014. The number of quad bike offences registered in 2015 rose to 2,929 from 2,922 in 2014.
Colonel Jamal Al Bannai, acting Director of the General Department of  Traffic, said the Dubai Municipality, RTA and the Dubai Police, in a combined effort to resolve issues related to desert driving in Al Warqa, had established fencing along the road to prevent entry of such vehicles to public roads. Though this reduced risks in those areas, the problem shifted from Al Warqa to other areas in Dubai.
He underlined that parents should not let the children sit in the vehicles designed for a single person. "Some parents are buying huge bikes for  their children which don't suit their age or weight. This poses a grave danger to the children as they would not be able to control the bikes in some occasions, he noted.
Dh50,000 fine
Colonel Jamal Al Bannai, acting Director of the General Department of Traffic, said violators whose bikes are seized by the police would have to pay a fine up to Dh50,000 to get the bike back. The increased fine is mainly intended to deter potential offenders and not mere collection of money.
amira@khaleejtimes.com