4-year-old girl killed in UAQ road accident

umm al quwain — A four-yearold Arab girl succumbed to her injuries she received after the car she was travelling in with her family rammed into a taxi on the Etihad Bridge in Umm Al Quwain.

The central operations room of the UAQ Police, having been alerted of the collision, dispatched traffic police, ambulances, paramedics and rescue teams to the site in a record time.

“The accident took place on the Etihad Bridge in the direction of the King Faisal Road on Wednesday around 4.30pm,” said Col Saeed Obaid Bin Aran, director of Traffic and Patrols Department of the UAQ Police.

Initial investigation showed that the father, who was driving his car,

All parents are highly advised never to let their small children sit in the front seat as it poses serious risk.” Col Saeed Obaid Bin Aran, director of Traffic and Patrols Dept of UAQ Police

could not help ramming into a taxi ahead after the cabbie pulled over suddenly, he added.

“The father of the girl failed to leave a safety space behind the taxi and was driving at a high speed so that he could not stop the car in time or avoid the accident.”

The impact of the accident was so serious that the little girl, who was not only sitting in the front seat in violation of traffic law, but was also not wearing the seatbelt, was thrown into the windshield, Col Bin Aran underlined.

“The girl suffered serious injuries and excessive bleeding, particularly in her head. She died in the UAQ Hospital a few hours later.”

The father, mother and their little son sustained moderate injuries, he elaborated. “All parents are highly advised never to let their children sit in the front seat as it poses serious risk.”

As per the UAE federal traffic law, allowing children under the age of 10 to sit in the front seat of a vehicle will draw a fine of Dh400 and four black points against the driver.

Parents have even been warned recently against allowing their children under the age of 10 to be seated in the car’s rear seats without being buckled in a child seat, he underlined. “This must be followed till the child becomes as tall as 145cm.”

Parents have also been advised to monitor their children’s behaviour inside the vehicle and lock all doors and windows so that children cannot be tempted to put their head or hands outside when the vehicle is moving. ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com