AMMAN — Jordan
has one of the highest rates of traffic accidents per year in the region,
according to a 2020 report issued by the Public Security Directorate’s Traffic
Institute.
اضافة اعلان
The
report also showed that traffic accidents contribute thousands of injuries to
children every year. The figure is expected to rise if precautionary measures
are not taken.
"There
are many mistakes we make on a daily basis with regard to safety rules related
to children’s seating in the car," sociologist Hussien Khuzaie, said in an
interview with
Jordan News.
"Those
mistakes have become widespread and practiced on the roads," he said.
"It is because of pampering nor love that the driver (and he is usually
the father) lets his child sit in his lap or behind the wheel while driving —
that is nothing less than craziness."
He added:
"You do not need to be punished or fined to know that this is criminal
conduct — you just need to know it yourself, as a mature person who is
responsible for a house and kids."
Khuzaie
went on to say that this not only puts a child’s life at risk but every other
drivers’ life at risk.
"I
believe that those who are careless and irresponsible of their children's lives
do not deserve to be parents," he said.
The
sociologist added that smoking in vehicles with children is also a problem in
Jordan.
"If
you decide to smoke and risk your life, then do it away from your children;
they deserve to live healthy and safe," he said."We should
all work together to raise awareness among those who do such actions. Let us
assume that they do not know how harmful these actions on their children's
lives."
Maysa
Shuqair, a mother, told
Jordan News that "I care about my kids'
safety while in cars more than I care about my own, I wonder how some people
assume that being careless and irresponsible is a joke. Do they not know that
they are putting their lives at risk?"
Shuqair
added: "Sometimes, I prefer sitting with my kids at home; playing with
them and doing some activities, than taking them to the zoo or the kids club;
just because of how afraid I feel while driving when they are with me."
She said
that when she sees a father driving with his child in his lap it makes her want
to stop her car and “ask him how can he do such an action while he is just laughing."
Shuqair said that she supports raising fines and penalties and believes that
such action deserves criminal charges.
Lamees
Sulaiman, an attorney, said: "I call upon our government to take serious
and stricter measures so that we ensure that those who are careless, not only
towards their children's lives, but ours, know how to behave."
"Some
people do not behave themselves, they need to be put in jail or pay a large
fine to know how to behave, especially when it comes to harming humans’
health."
The
lawyer said that if Jordan had serious measures, some people might think twice
before risking others’ lives in the car, “especially children; whom are not
mature enough to watch their steps and need someone to supervise them.”
The 2020 statistical
report showed that those aged 18 to 35 are the most affected by traffic
accidents and constitute 47.5 percent of the total injuries and deaths caused
by accidents.
This age
group also recorded the largest number of deaths, with 31.6 percent of the
total number, while children under the age of 18 years old were most affected
by severe injuries, with 34.2 percent of the total number of severe injuries coming
from those under 18.
Those aged
18 to 35 recorded the largest number of moderate injuries; with 43.3 percent,
and the largest number of minor injuries; 52.3 percent.
It should
be noted that Jordan's traffic law prohibits children under the age of 12 from
riding in the front seat of cars, as well as prohibits anyone from leaving
children under the age of 10 alone inside a car while it is running. It also
prohibits smoking inside vehicles designated to transport students. Those
convicted of such actions have to pay a fine of no more than JD50.
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