Dubai: The Dubai Tourist Police, in coordination with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), has recently launched an awareness campaign for recreational motorcycle rental offices to ensure that they are in compliance and familiar with the security and safety regulations and requirements relating to their activities, especially with the increased turnout of tourists and community members to desert areas in the emirate.

Colonel Khalfan Obaid Al Jallaf, Director of Dubai Tourist Police, said they are keen on organizing awareness campaigns for recreational motorcycle rental offices every year, especially during winter, when tourists and community members seek the desert areas for camping and other recreational activities. He expressed Dubai Police’s keenness on ensuring the safety of community members and preventing accidents by observing the complete compliance of rental offices to the safety measures and requirements. 

Since last year, Col. Al Jallaf pointed out that they had issued 18 fines against violating rental offices. He added that they have also inspected 33 tourist camps in the Al Aweer area to ensure the safety of tourists and visitors and ensure that all safety and security procedures were enforced.

Clear Laws

First Lieutenant Ahmed Muhammad Saif Al Muhairi, Head Dubai Tourist Police Programs, explained that rental offices are obligated to provide suitable gear in different sizes and not to rent a recreational motorcycle with an expired license, rent it to an unfit person, nor use or rent a motorcycle that has been operated for more than four years.

Lt. Al Muhairi explained that it is against the law to rent recreational motorcycles to anyone who is under the age of (16), except with the approval of their guardian and under their supervision. He added that rental offices must provide the necessary firefighting and first aid equipment and keep a record of names, nationalities and ages of recreational motorbikes renters, the date, time and duration of rental, as well as any other data deemed important by the Authority. In addition, rental offices must provide customers with an introductory guide that includes safety procedures and provide a price list of all categories. 

Violations and Fines

It is noteworthy that the fine for driving or renting a recreational motorcycle that does not meet the security, safety and environmental requirements specified by the Authority is AED 500. Meanwhile, the fine for renting a recreational motorcycle for a person who does not meet the conditions stipulated in this decision or its executive regulations is AED 1000. 

Moreover, the fine for driving an unlicensed or expired recreational motorcycle or failure to display a plate is AED 500, while the fine for failure to insure or renew the insurance of recreational motorcycles and passengers is AED 500 issued against each bike. 

The fine for illegally modifying a recreational motorcycle with the aim of increasing its speed, increasing the sound of engine or modifying specifications inside the recreational circuit is AED 2000, and the fine for non-complaining with the conditions announced by the concerned authorities in the emirate on storing fuel or failing to fuel the vehicle is AED 1000.