'63% of crash victims in Dubai are kids'

Children in Dubai are three times more involved in traffic accidents than at the global level, a local report revealed.The report released by the Dubai Health Authority indicates that 63 per cent of crash victims in Dubai are children, which is three times the prevailing international rate of 22.3 per cent.It is coming at the beginning of “Child Safety First” campaign, which will run for three months. It is run by the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai and in Sharjah by the Department of Children and Family Affairs.“The RTA has opted to curb these despondent rates by joining hands with our partners such as ‘BabyShop’ to fit 50 child seats for free in 50 Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) cabs operating at Dubai Airports,” said the acting chief executive officer (CEO) of the DTC, Yousef Al Ali.He said the campaign aims at “advancing the awareness about the importance of using child seats on board taxis for the safety of children as well as the peace of mind of their family members during their daily travels.” The campaign prominently involved Ladies Taxi and Family Taxi services, said Yousef.The Chief Executive of BabyShop, Vinod Talreja, said booklets containing information about the safety and security of children on board, types of seats for the front seats, safety instructions on roads and how to fit these seats to the vehicle are distributed at all BabyShop outlets across the UAE. In Sharjah, the children and parents in the Eastern districts of the Emirate have also been shown the importance of sticking to safety issues while riding cars, as a measure to avoid motor accidents.The meeting was convened at Al Dhaid Park under the organisation of children centres managed by the Sharjah Department of Children and Family Affairs under the patronage of Sheikha Jawaher, the wife of the Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi.“We put them through simulation and practical exercises showing them how fastening of seat belts, having a child seat in the back of the car and cautious crossing of the road are measures vital to curtailing traffic accidents,” said a campaign organiser.The activities drew many children; some of them staged drama shows to highlight the importance of taking safety measures about traffic rules. The organiser said the Department was “glad to see that mothers came in big numbers because they have such a big role to play in promoting traffic safety for their children.”