Fast and the Furious - Dubai Drift & Crash!

7days today reported a new danger to hit UAE roads.

"SAND-X, the world’s fastest quad bike is facing a stormy reception in the UAE as the high-speed sand vehicle prepares to launch here. The quad, which is being touted as the fastest and safest sand vehicle around, has a maximum speed of 120 miles per hour (180kph) and can accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than three seconds - that’s quicker than a Ferrari Enzo.


But the quad’s power and speed have many people worried because quad bikes do not require licensing or registration here in the UAE and the Emirates have witnesses several tragic accidents in past years, most recently the death of a young UAE local who crashed his quad into a car on a road in Dubai. Sonia Matar, the mother of 14-year-old Gabriella, who died in a quad bike accident last year, was outraged when she was told about the new vehicle and concerned that teenagers could be allowed to operate such powerful bikes without proper training and licensing."


In July, the Dubai Traffic Department carried out a campaign against the quad bike menace. The Gulf News quoted Major Hassan Abdul Razzaq, Deputy Director of Bur Dubai Traffic Control Department, "...youngsters between the ages of 10 and 19 were riding most of the quad bikes and motorbikes that police confiscated in July. Most complaints come from three areas in Bur Dubai, which are Jumeirah Beach, Al Safa area, especially around Al Safa Park and Al Quoz,"


With already the accident rate and death toll rising on UAE roads, there is surely going to be some stunts worthy of Action TV on the roads. This is a disaster waiting to happen, compounded by two factors - Under-aged drivers and no training required.


There will soon be a growing market for armoured cars, the only thing which "may" save lives incase of a direct collision with a Sand-X quad travelling as fast if not faster than a Ferrari.