Safety with E24|7: Safety tips for desert drivers and quad bikers
Visitors to the desert are urged to drive safely whether driving a vehicle or quad bike, said the Roads Transport Authority (RTA).
With the weather conditions welcoming outdoor activity such as desert-driving, the RTA is set to launch an awareness campaign to educate motorists and desert driving enthusiasts about principles and precautions for avoiding traffic accidents in desert areas.
Maintaining extra safety distance between vehicles, enhancing readiness for any surprise accidents, avoiding driving distractors such as using the mobile phone, keeping the window glass and mirror clean, driving at reasonable speed even less than the prescribed speed limit of the road, and using low-beam lights are some of the tips the RTA stresses during this time of year, when weather conditions can change unexpectedly.
Quad bikers are advised to always wear a good helmet, which can reduce head injuries by 85 per cent, ride only in allocated places and avoid riding fast, refrain from doing acrobatic tricks, ask an expert to help select a bike that suits their physical capabilities and stop riding when feeling tired.
“Motorists, particularly those who fancy desert tours, are urged to abide by the security and safety measures in place while driving vehicles or quad bikes in desert terrains,” said Husain Al Banna, Director of Traffic at RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency (TRA).
Awareness messages, which will be transmitted via social media channels, electronic screens at customers’ service centers and petrol stations, virtual messaging signs on roads, and cashier screens in some shopping centers such as the Union Cooperative Society, he added.