Ministry outlines recommendations to prevent fatal recurrence of children left in vehicles
THE Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development yesterday outlined some of the recommendations that can be practised by parents or guardians to prevent the recurrence of cases involving children being left in vehicles that caused injury or death.
Its minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said her ministry viewed seriously the negligence of parents leaving children in the vehicle which caused the deaths of five children and infants since 2016.
She said, among the precautionary measures, were to advise parents to place their children in a special seat in the vehicle specifically for infants and children aged five and below; placing infants on the seat and tied to a safety belt; children not permitted to be placed on the back seat, especially behind the driver’s seat because it is a blind spot.
“In addition, parents bringing infants or children in the vehicle are asked to place important items such as handbags at the back depending on the suitability of whether these are placed on the seat or in the passenger’s leg area or place the bag needed by the child on the front seat to remind that the child is at the back,” she said.
Rohani was replying to a question from Senator Datuk Shahanim Mohamad Yusoff during the question- and-answer session at the Dewan Negara sitting on the approach taken by the government to address cases of deaths of infants accidentally being left behind in the vehicle to prevent such cases from recurring.
Rohani also said the child minders must place label or tag on the vehicle door holder to remind them that the children are with them at the passenger’s seat and practise checking all sitting space before locking and leaving the vehicle. — Bernama