Dubai safari driver fined for fracturing spine of tourist

Dubai: A driver has been fined Dh2,000 for accidentally fracturing the spine of a female tourist while driving down a sandbank sharply, during a desert safari trip.

The Chinese tourist, X.W., was in hospital recuperating for a week following an urgent operation that she underwent after she suffered a fractured disc in her spine.

The 37-year-old Pakistani safari driver, H.A., pleaded not guilty contending that he drove cautiously and at an acceptable speed when he defended himself before the Dubai Misdemeanours Court.

He refuted the charge of mistakenly causing the back injury while he drove five Chinese tourists in his sports utility vehicle [SUV].

However the court found the driver guilty as he failed to carry out his duties properly and professionally when he drove down the sandbank at high speed causing the SUV to move upwards and then down before it landed with strong impact.

Records said the victim felt severe pain in her back and she and her friends requested the driver to take them back to the safari camp.

The tourist said the accident happened when she was on holiday in Dubai in February 2013.

“The driver drove between the sand dunes for around 10 minutes before he reached a sandbank. The SUV sloped down quickly and landed with a sharp impact. I felt a severe backache and we asked the driver to return to the camp. I was then rushed to hospital. I was scared while the driver speeded and he immediately apologised. The fact that the company did not rush me to hospital in an ambulance could have been a reason why my injury worsened,” claimed X.W.

H.A. said he had warned the tourists, according to his statement, about the hazards of dune-bashing.

“They all said they were healthy and ready to go for the ride. I was not responsible for the woman’s injury. I drive safari trips daily and I hold a special permit for doing so from the Roads and Transport Authority. I was not at fault, otherwise all the passengers would have been injured and not just the claimant,” he said.