4-year-old dies in road accident in UAE

The tragic mishap took place on the Etihad Bridge

A four-year-old Arab girl succumbed to fatal injuries she received after the car she was travelling in with her father, mother and brother collided with a taxi ahead on the Ittihad Bridge here 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 tragic 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 enactment of the accident showed that the father, who was driving his saloon car on the Etihad Bridge, could not help ramming into a taxi ahead after the cabbie pulled over suddenly, he added. 
"The accident was blamed on the father who failed to leave enough safety space as due and was driving at a high speed. He could not stop the car timely and hit the rear part of the cab ahead." 
The impact of the collision was so huge that the little girl, who was not only sitting in the front seat in violation of traffic law, but was also unbuckled up, was severely thrown into the windshield, Col Bin Aran underlined.
"The four-year-old girl suffered serious injuries and excessive bleeding, particularly in her head, and passed away in the UAQ Hospital few hours later."
The father, mother and their little son all sustained moderate injuries, he elaborated. "All parents are highly advised never to let their little kids sit in the front seat as it poses serious risk to their lives." 
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 pointed out. "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 aren't tempted to put their head or hands outside when the vehicle is moving.
"A fine of Dh500 shall be slapped on parents if caught smoking in the car while their children are in," he stated. "The fine will be increased to Dh10,000 if they repeat the same violation."
The UAQ Traffic Police have recently launched an intensive campaign to monitor traffic flow to curb reckless driving, he disclosed "More traffic patrols are deployed on the roads of the emirate to ensure road users' safety."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com