The Ministry of Interior underscored the importance of equipping all vehicles with child seats, to protect children from traffic accidents. Moreover, the Ministry stated that social and psychological support was provided to the children injured in the car crash that took place on Thursday, near Seeh Al Shuaib area in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. A 29-year-old Emirati woman died in the accident after the ca she was travelling in crashed with a truck on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed road to Al Faya in Abu Dhabi. .
The woman’s husband, 34-year-old Emirati F.A.A, who was driving the car, was injured in the accident. The couple’s three children, S. aged 11, D. aged 6, and M. aged one year and a half, and a 27-year-old Ethiopian sustained mild and serious injuries. The Asian truck driver was also injured in the accident.
Ambulances from the Emergency and Safety Department at Abu Dhabi Police’s General Directorate of Central Operations provided first aid treatment to three of the injured and transported them to Al Rahba Hospital. The Emirati woman’s body was moved to Shaikh Khalifa Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Ambulances from Dubai Police transported the other two injured individuals to Al Mafraq Hospital. Investigations are currently under way to determine the cause of the accident
Major General Nasser Lakhreibani Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Children Safety Committee at the Ministry of Interior, expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of the Emirati woman who died in the crash.
Furthermore, he underscored the importance of equipping all vehicles with child car seats to protect children from accidents. He also called on motorists to seat children aged under the age of 10 in the seats reserved for them in the back seat of the vehicle, to ensure their safety.
He stressed that parents should avoid putting children on their lap in the front seat of a vehicle which could endanger the life and safety of children. He appealed to motorists to abide by all rules that ensure the safety of all passengers in the event of accidents that may cause injuries and permanent disabilities, or even death.
He noted that motorists are not aware of the importance of these seats and end up letting their children sit anywhere inside the vehicle. In the event of a sudden stop or collision, a child who is not properly secured in a car seat, can be thrown against the vehicle's interior or be ejected. Moreover, parents should not allow children from riding in the front, or stand through the vehicle’s side windows or sunroof, which can put the lives of children at risk.
He added that developed countries have taken significant action to require all motorists to equip their cars with special child seats, according to specific standards and specifications to ensure their safety and protect them against risks and car crashes. “Seat belts are not designed for young children and infants,” he continued.
For his part, Brig. Gen. Hussein Ahmed Al Harthi, head of the Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police expressed his regret for the occurrence of this tragic accident, which took the life of the driver’s wife and resulted in various injuries sustained by her children and housekeeper. He also wished them speedy recovery.
Al Harthi called on light motor vehicles’ drivers not to use the truck routes unless absolutely necessary, as they are restricted for heavy-duty trucks. This would ensure their safety from car accidents. He also invited them to be extra cautious when driving on such roads.
Moreover, he appealed to motorists to ab
