No more fatalities involving children being reversed over, urge Ajman Police

In the Northern Emirates last year, five children died in separate incidents after being hit by reversing cars.

AJMAN // Police have asked drivers to be more cautious this year to avoid a repeat of two fatal accidents in the emirate in which family members reversed their cars over small children.

A toddler was killed on September 30 when she was hit by her cousin’s car outside her home, and a one-year-old died in similar circumstances on October 2 after being hit by a car driven by her cousin as she played outside the family’s villa.

Maj Saif Al Falasi, head of the traffic and patrol division at Ajman Police, said drivers should check their rear-view mirror and be more careful in residential areas.

“I always advise drivers who live in villas and park their cars in garages or yards to make sure that no one is behind the vehicle before moving, and to park the car far from where children play,” he said. “Most cars have sensors and rear cameras. If the car does not have these items, people can buy them for their car from any shop.”

There were several similar incidents across the UAE last year, with children between the ages of one and eight years being accidentally killed by family members.

On December 13, a one-year-old boy was killed after running from a maid at his family’s home in Fujairah. He was hit by his father’s car as it was reversing.

In Ras Al Khaimah, a 16-month-old Emirati boy died after his aunt reversed her car over him at their home on November 5, and an eight-year-old boy died on October 12 when his brother accidentally ran him over.

Maj Al Falasi said accidents that resulted in a death would be investigated by the police and referred to public prosecutors. “Public prosecution and the court take the decision on what to do,” he said.

“If the driver was the victim’s father or mother, they take it that the parent did not mean to run over the toddler.

“Even if the killer is the victim’s cousin, the court and public prosecution take the same decisions and try to know if there is any problem between the family’s victim and the defendant.

“If the toddler’s parents waive the issue, the defendant has to pay blood money.”