Not to put salt on a wound, but the tragic death of a toddler in Saturday’s crash at the Bukit Kajang Toll Plaza has once again underscored the importance of child safety seats.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said preliminary reports showed that 16-month-old Amir Husayn was not secured in a child seat when the accident occurred. He stressed that his remarks were not meant to blame the grieving parents but to highlight a critical safety lapse often ignored.
The four-vehicle crash was allegedly caused by a lorry with faulty brakes. Amir was thrown from his family’s car and trapped underneath, while seven others were injured.
“If a child seat had been used, the baby would likely not have been ejected and might have survived,” Loke said after launching the Gombak Integrated Terminal. “I am not drawing conclusions, but at the very least, a child seat provides additional safety features that can save lives and protect passengers.”
Kajang police chief ACP Naazron Abdul Yusof said the 42-year-old lorry driver claimed he had jumped out of the vehicle before it rammed into the cars. He told investigators the brakes had failed and the lorry has since been sent for inspection. Records show it was last serviced in April.
The driver, who has past criminal records and traffic summonses, tested negative for drugs and alcohol has been remanded for two days. Statements are also being taken from five other individuals, including the lorry’s owner.
Loke noted that while many still complain when the ministry promotes child seat usage, tragedies like this are painful reminders of why such measures matter.
SourceL MalayMail
