Parents should protect their children

While we were travelling one Friday morning along King Faisal Street in Sharjah, we were shocked to see a car ahead of us with a little child putting his head out of the rear window (see picture). The way his little head was wedged between the window frame and the half open window was very dangerous.

I managed to drive alongside the car and gesture to the parents to take the child inside. So blissfully ignorant were the parents that my frantic gestures confused them. The father of the child even thought that I was cautioning him about a flat tyre.

How long does it take for an accident to happen? What if another careless motorist were to brush alongside this car? The child's head would have been crushed between the window and the frame. I shudder at the thought of it.

Why don't adults take the basic responsibility of keeping children safe while they are in their vehicles? It is common to see children in their mother's lap in the passenger seat or, in extreme cases, on the driver's lap. Some children are even allowed to stick their heads out from the sunroof of vehicles. Life is precious, especially that of a young child. They are innocent and it is the responsibility of the adults to do all they can to protect their children from danger. I hope better sense prevails among those parents who throw caution to the wind while driving with their children.

I also urge the authorities to introduce stringent measures or laws that punish the parents or drivers who allow such things to happen.

— Naveen Frank is a freelance journalist and a travel supervisor based in Sharjah.