It is an exciting and comforting time for our small ones who are off resting from three (3) months of hard work and waking up early. The MVA Fund, urges all motorists, community members, parents, and guardians to retain the joy in the hearts of the little ones by keeping them safe from all traffic-related injuries and fatalities during the holiday. Motor vehicle crashes are amongst the leading causes of injuries and fatalities for children between the ages of zero (0) to 15. The high road safety risks faced by children is augmented at night, before and after school hours, during weekends, holidays and school holidays because children are most likely to be playing outside in the streets.
Year-to-date crash statistics recorded by the Fund from 01 January to 31 March 2018 indicates that children between the ages of zero (0) and 15 accounted for 16% of total fatalities while those between the age group of 16 to 35 accounted for 57%. Pedestrian-related fatalities recorded during the same period further shows that majority of those that succumbed to pedestrian-related crashes belonged to the 16 to 35 (43%) and zero (0) to 15 (14%) age groups.
MVA Fund would like to urge all motorists to play their part in the #SlowDownAndSaveLives campaign by driving safely around residential neighbourhoods or other areas where kids might be present such as playgrounds and shopping complexes whilst being wary of the children’s unpredictable nature.
As much as it is imperative for motorist to act in a certain manner so as to evade preventable injuries and fatalities, it is also the parents or guardians responsibility to ensure that children remain safe on the roads.
Never let your child go near a road unattended or play on the road. Be extra vigilant and always ensure that children are properly secured in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt every time you drive. This is in-line with the realization of the Fund’s ongoing #ClickForLife campaign.
The MVA Fund once again reminds the public to report crashes to the MVA Fund Accident Response Number 081 9682, as doing so can save a life.