Recently, it was reported that a 1-year-old boy was tragically killed in an accident involving 4 vehicles at the Bukit Kajang toll plaza in Selangor on Saturday (27 September). It has since been revealed that the lack of a child safety seat may have been the reason for the child’s death, as the baby boy was thrown out of a vehicle during the accident.
According to a report by Harian Metro, Transport Minister Anthony Loke shared that a police report and initial investigations found that the baby was not placed in a child seat during the incident, and was subsequently thrown out of the vehicle he was in and ended up trapped in another vehicle involved in the accident caused by a worn-out lorry.
“I do not blame the victims or the parents, but this is an important reminder to all. Many complained when the government made it mandatory to use child seats due to cost factors, but this incident proves how important this safety feature is,”
“Imagine if the baby was in a child seat, it is most likely he would not have been thrown out and his life could still have been saved.”
He further emphasised that child seats are an additional safety feature that has been proven to protect the lives of small passengers in vehicles, and this should not be taken lightly.
“Each safety feature introduced has its own function and benefits. This incident once again proves that ignoring child seats can bring great risks to children,” he added.
The accident has been linked to maintenance issues with the lorry involved
At the same time, Loke stressed that the maintenance of heavy vehicles should not solely depend on Puspakom inspections, which are carried out every 6 months.
“The lorry involved has a valid permit, the Puspakom record is still valid, but that does not mean the operator can let things go. Maintenance must be done all the time. In this case, it is clear that the lorry’s brakes failed to work and crashed into the toll plaza and several other vehicles.”
He is now using this incident as an opportunity to issue a stern warning to all transport operators to ensure their vehicles are always in top condition.
“The lorry driver himself reportedly had to jump out to save himself because the brakes failed. The police are continuing a full investigation, but initial evidence, including video footage, has shown a failure of the brake system,”
“However, what is certain is that the baby was thrown out because there was no child seat and he died,” Loke said.
What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
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