Abu Dhabi: Infant opens car door in moving traffic

Abu Dhabi: A routine family drive through one of Abu Dhabi’s busiest intersections turned into a terrifying ordeal when a 10-month-old baby unexpectedly opened a moving car door while sitting on his mother’s lap.

The incident occurred on Friday, January 13, at Al Salam intersection, with the children’s father driving, the mother seated in the front passenger seat holding their 10-month-old infant, and their nine-year-old daughter seated in the back.

“I was in complete shock,” the mother said. “Suddenly the door opened. My phone fell onto the road, and all I could think about was holding my baby and closing the door.”

As vehicles moved through the intersection, the infant managed to pull the door handle, causing the door to swing open while the car was in motion. The mother instinctively held her child tightly and managed to shut the door within seconds, preventing what could have been a serious accident.

No one was injured, though her mobile phone was damaged after falling onto the road.

Despite the physical safety of her children, the emotional impact has stayed with her.

“Every time I pass that intersection, I feel fear,” she said. “The moment keeps replaying in my mind.”

As the traffic light changed and cars began turning left, the fallen phone lay in the middle of the road. Unable to retrieve it safely because of fast-moving vehicles, a bystander advised her to contact the police.

Moments later, a man who witnessed the incident ran across the road and returned the phone to her.

Yasamina Qassim, an Egyptian national who has lived in the UAE for 10 years, told Gulf News that the frightening incident permanently changed the way she views child safety inside vehicles.

Since that day, she said, she has become extremely cautious during every journey. On a later taxi ride to a doctor’s appointment, she asked the driver to ensure all doors were locked and that child safety features were activated before the vehicle moved.

She now regularly warns friends and fellow parents about the importance of taking simple but essential precautions — activating child safety locks, placing infants in approved rear car seats suitable for their age and weight, fastening seatbelts correctly, and ensuring children are never able to reach door handles while the vehicle is in motion.

“Child safety locks are not optional,” she said. “They can save lives.”

The mother urged parents and caregivers to make safety checks part of every trip, stressing the need to secure children in the back seats designated for them, use proper child restraint systems, fasten seatbelts correctly, and provide safe toys to keep young passengers occupied during the drive.

UAE Police stress that most modern vehicles are equipped with child locks designed to prevent doors from being opened from the inside, whether the car is moving or stationary.

Authorities continue to remind motorists that child safety is a shared responsibility — and that a few seconds of preparation before setting off can prevent irreversible tragedy.

“I hope my experience serves as a warning to other parents,” the mother said.

“One small step could save your child’s life.”