“Negligent” parents bear criminal responsibility for injuries to their children in accidents

The head of the Traffic Prosecution, Counselor Salah Boufarousha Al-Falasi, informed Emirates Al-Youm of the prosecution’s intention to hold criminally responsible for parents who are proven to be negligent in protecting their children, causing them to be exposed to fatal accidents or serious injuries.

He said, “Two sister Arab girls, aged nine and 10, were injured the day before yesterday evening, with injuries that ranged between severe and moderate, after they were run over under the wheels of a vehicle driven by a woman on an internal street parallel to Dubai-Al Ain Road, while they were crossing alone,” pointing out. He pointed out that “the vehicle threw them a distance of 18 meters before they fell to the ground,” stressing that “the prosecution will include in its investigations the reasons that prompted the family to leave the two girls.” They cross the street alone, and she will be held responsible if she confirms that there is suspicion of negligence.”

He revealed that the Traffic Prosecution recently referred an Arab woman to the Family Prosecution on charges of endangering the life of a child under seven years old, noting that the woman neglected to protect her son, which led to his being trampled to death. Yesterday, the Traffic Court ruled that the driver who ran over him be imprisoned for two months, paid a sum of 150,000 dirhams, and suspended his license for three months.

The Dubai Traffic Prosecution recorded the death of three children during the first quarter of this year in traffic accidents, an increase of up to 300% compared to the same period last year, in addition to the injury of 167 children, including 51 who were run over in 2012.

Al Falasi stressed that “the prosecution takes into account the psychological state of the families of children who are involved in accidents, but it will not be lenient in cases where it is proven that there is negligence on the part of the parents or the family of the child who was involved in the accident, because children at this age do not realize the seriousness of their actions and cannot protect themselves.”

Al-Falasi stressed that “the Traffic Prosecution relies in its procedures on the Penal Code, which explicitly stipulates that there is criminal responsibility on every party involved in the act, result, or causal relationship between them. Therefore, leaving a child (unidentified) crossing the road alone or riding in a car without… Wearing a seat belt is one of the reasons that may lead to his death or injury if he is involved in an accident, and based on that, criminal responsibility falls on his family.”

He explained, “There are principles and standards for crossing the road safely, and a child of seven or nine years of age is not expected to be familiar with them, which makes his family bear responsibility if he is run over.”

He stressed that “referring the responsible father or mother to the Family Prosecution is an essential procedure, so that they are legally held accountable for their criminal responsibility, in accordance with the law that allows the Family Prosecution to do so.”

Al Falasi considered that the exposure of 51 children to being run over over the past year is a worrying matter, pointing out that the size of the child prevents him from being seen clearly by drivers, especially while reversing or exiting a parking lot, and here the responsibility of the families of these children emerges.