DOHA: As winter camping season is set to start next month, authorities yesterday warned the campers against violating the camping rules and driving cars and motorcycles without taking the safety measures around the camping site.
The officials of the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Municipality and Environment also announced launching awareness campaign in the middle of next month for potential campers to avert accidents.
The participants of a workshop organised by General Directorate of Traffic observed that major violations committed in the winter season by campers included driving cars without license and driving of motorcycles without safety measures especially by children. They noted that these were main cause behind accidents.
“Also there are many people who drive caravans without back lights and in this case the authority concerned books the caravan and takes legal action against the violator,” said Lieutenant Jaber Ali Al Hajri from Al Dukhan Security while addressing the workshop.
Saad Al Kaabi from the Ministry of Municipality and Environment said that the most violations committed in winter camping season were digging the earth. “Another violation usually committed is throwing litter and leaving wastes,” he said, adding that another commonly found violation was driving by underage campers in desert’s banned areas during rainy days.
Al Kaabi said the ministry was cooperating with the authorities concerned especially the Ministry of Interior on safety conditions and was in complete coordination with traffic department to raise awareness among youth. Lieutenant Abdul Wahid Al Anzi, from the Traffic Awareness section said that the section had set focus on conducting awareness campaign in camping season.
“We will guide people about weather condition, safe driving etc. and our main focus will be youth,” he said, adding that the section will also distribute some awareness leaflets among motorists and campers.
Lieutenant Hamad Ali Al-Nabet said that most accidents occurring during winter camping season were reported on internal streets. He also added they had established checkpoints in places like Al Mazroua because it witnessed more accidents.
Omar Al Awadi from General Authority for Specification and Standardization talked about conditions to be followed by caravans and trailers mentioning that the traffic rules applicable to cars were also applicable to them in regard to dimensions, weights and lights etc.
