Staff Report www.gulfnews.com
Dubai. Two school children sustained severe injuries when they were run over by their school bus at their school in Al Qusais on Tuesday.
Major General Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, head of Dubai Police’s Traffic Department, said the accident took place around 5pm and the two children, an Indian and a Pakistani, were taken to Rashid Hospital for treatment.
The bus driver said he was unaware his bus was in gear when he started it, and it moved forward immediately, which left him no time to brake and caused him to hit the two children who were standing in front of the bus, Arabic daily Emarat Al Youm reported.
Debilitating
Maj Gen Al Zafain said it was strange that the children were inside the school that late, especially in the summer heat which can be debilitating even for adults, leave alone young children.
The accident also calls for a detailed study on how children stand and wait for buses inside the school premises and how they enter and exit from the vehicles, he added.
Four children have died so far this year in traffic accidents and 14 have been injured, many of which were the result of children travelling in the front seats without seat belts.
Six children killed traffic crashes 2010
Six children were killed in traffic accidents in 2010, including three who died in accidents resulting from speeding. Of the other three, one died as a result of a vehicle swerving suddenly, another due to a car stopping suddenly on the road and the third was hit by a reversing vehicle.
Children, being small in size, often do not appear in vehicles’ side mirrors, Maj Gen Al Zafein said, and this requires extra care from drivers and supervisors in schools. Drivers should always check the area around them is clear and no children are around before moving their cars, he added.
The risk increases because of the unpredictable nature of children’s reactions when faced with danger, which can surprise drivers, he said, adding that trained supervisors should help drop children off home.
