UAE | Crime
Lack of supervision leads to accidents involving kids
Negligence is the major cause of accidents involving children, said a senior police official, speaking of the importance of instilling public awareness to cut down the number of child injuries in various accidents.
- By Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 19:03 May 20, 2008
- Image Credit: WAM
- Parents are warned not to leave their children unattended inside vehicles, even if it is for a short duration. Picture for illustrative purposes only.
Abu Dhabi: Negligence is the major cause of accidents involving children, said a senior police official, speaking of the importance of instilling public awareness to cut down the number of child injuries in various accidents.
"Negligence and lack of supervision cause most accidents involving children…and these can be avoided with care", said Colonel Othman Al Tamami, Director of Emergency and Safety Management section at the Abu Dhabi Police.
In all, 6146 children were involved in different accidents between 2001 and 2007.
The alarming increase in the number of child deaths and injuries over the past years is why the police launched a campaign earlier this month focusing on safety children in cars, buildings and at the sea. Organised under the motto 'Their lives are precious,' the campaign will run until September.
"At least 120 children were affected by suffocation inside the vehicles over the last seven years", Al Tamami said, adding that parents must refrain from leaving their children inside vehicles, even if it is for short durations.
From four cases of suffocation in cars in 2001 the number of cases grew to 19 in 2007.
Since the summer months are approaching, it is important to speak of the hazards of leaving children unattended inside vehicles, he said, expressing concern over this practice.
A total of 81 children were injured in accidents in 2001, whereas 1662 were injured in 2007.
Major Sultan Hassan Al Hosani, the head of the ambulance section noted that his department handled 188 cases related to children. Ninety children were involved traffic accidents, 38 fell off high-rise buildings, 10 were affected by high temperatures, five cases were of epilepsy and the remaining 45 cases were of choking.
The cases clearly points fingers at the elders who are responsible for the safety of the children, he said.
Figures
Figures from the Ministry of Health suggest that 13 per cent of all deaths recorded from 2000 to 2005 involved children, which is more than what was recorded in other counties such as UK and Sweden.
Alarmingly, 55 per cent deaths of children were due to traffic accidents, while 13 per cent where due to choking, 8 per cent due to falling off buildings, 5 per cent due to burning and 1 per cent due to poisoning.
Tragic reminders
Five-year-old Ahmad Salem, an Egyptian boy who was alone at his home on the tenth floor of a building plunged to his death after reaching out and opening a window from atop a sofa. He was alone at home on April 1 while his parents were out shopping.
On March 24, Hadi Abdullah Awad, a six-year-old Emirati boy, drowned after he slipped and fell into a three-metre-deep pit filled with water.
In another incident on April 24, four-year-old Indian Aatish Shabin, died after being left locked inside his school bus for three hours. Investigations revealed that the boy died of internal illness and not due to suffocation.
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