Hamad Trauma Center shares important safety messages for ATVs users

Doha, Qatar: The cooler weather provides a perfect setting for outdoor adventures and a big draw for enthusiasts, campers, and other adventurists to enjoy their All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), dirt bikes, and quad bikes, but it also comes with its own set of challenges when riding ATVs. Hamad Trauma Center reminds, whether you are navigating the vast sand dunes or exploring rugged desert terrain, safety should always be your top priority.  

The Hamad Injury Prevention Program (HIPP) of the Hamad Trauma Center is encouraging every rider, driver and their families to “Be Aware/Prepared Before You Go” by knowing safety tips and recommendations to stay safe on their quad bikes or ATVs during this year’s outdoor and camping season in order to help keep everyone and the environment safe. HIPP continues to analyze data from patients with moderate to severe ATV injuries from the Qatar National Trauma Registry, Al Wakra Hospital, the HMC Ambulance Service as well as Sidra Medicine. These victims were all injured at Sealine or Mesaieed areas while using off-road vehicles from the months of November to March from 2017 to 2024.

Dr. Aisha Abeid, Assistant Director of the HIPP, the community outreach arm of the Hamad Trauma Center.

“This collaborative data shows that there is significant reduction in the number of moderate to severe ATV injuries during the last two camping seasons (2022/2023 and 2023/2024) compared to the previous season (2021/2022). It indicates that safety measures taken recently by local authorities and stakeholders were effective in bringing these numbers down. There is much to be learned and taken from the data analysis that serves as the basis for safety recommendations for every person that engages in activities using off-road vehicles to make their camping season safe and injury-free,” said Dr. Aisha Abeid, Assistant Director of the HIPP, the community outreach arm of the Hamad Trauma Center.

Dr. Rafael Consunji, Director of HIPP

Dr. Rafael Consunji, Director of the HIPP further explained that, “Despite the reduction in injuries in recent seasons, we have already treated a number of victims of ATV injuries since the season began this year, some of them were children and others were passengers. Therefore, we want to remind the public that quad bikes are designed for one operator alone; their weight and power must be managed by the driver. The driver must have enough strength, counterweight, training and experience to drive one safely. Some ATV rental outlets in Qatar do not rent out to children, younger than 18 years, this is the globally accepted safest and recommended practice.”

HIPP “Know Before You Go” safety tips:

• Young children should not operate ATVs/quad bikes.
• Do not operate quad bikes without PPE. Helmets, gloves, ankle boots and protective eyewear are needed to protect the quad bike driver in the event of a crash.
• ATVs should be used in designated areas and locations only. These as these locations are under the direct supervision of the responsible authorities, like the Traffic Department, Mawater or Qatar Tourism and they are safely designed, maintained and monitored. Furthermore, the HMC Ambulance Service is present in these areas, to provide immediate medical response if needed.
• No passengers should be allowed on a quad bike, unless it is specially designed for passengers. About 25 percent of all victims are injured as passengers.
• Avoid peak periods of activity. Half of victims were injured on Fridays, between 2pm and 10pm. The congestion and density of different kinds of off-road vehicles added to the mix of experience levels and driving expertise makes this period the most dangerous.
• Ride responsibly: The most common injury mechanisms are collisions and rollovers. Collisions may be with fixed objects [suddenly appearing walls, posts etc.], with another quad bike or with other vehicles. Children are more likely to be injured in collisions or in lateral rollovers while adults were most injured in backward rollovers, a common mechanism when ascending hills or dunes or doing “wheelies” or stunts.
• Quad bikes are for off-road use only, they do not have the necessary features to turn, accelerate and mix with other motorized traffic and should not be driven on regular roads.

By following these ATV, safety tips during winter camping, riders can ensure a safe, enjoyable, and responsible adventure adds Hamad Trauma Center, reminding riders to always prioritize safety, respect the environment, and be prepared for the challenges that come with riding in desert landscape.