Children’s Advocate, Ingrid Husselmann said that it is an undeniable fact that the road environment is barely and rarely developed with consideration for the needs of children.

In an interview with Nampa on Wednesday, Husselmann said the number of children involved in road incidents is certainly alarming and a single child seriously or fatally injured in a motor vehicle accident is one child too many.

Husselmann made the remarks after the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund this week announced that children remain the most vulnerable road users indicating that between 01 January and 03 August 2021, a total of 244 children aged between five and 17 years were injured on Namibia’s roads.

“The Child Care and Protection Act, which came into operation in January 2019, provides that every person with parental responsibilities and rights towards a child and any other person legally responsible for a child have the duty to ensure that the best interests of the child are that person’s paramount concern at all times; protect the child from harm and ensure that in the temporary absence of a parent or caregiver, the child is cared for by a competent person,” she said.

Husselman added that this provision is then also applicable when a parent drives a child or allows a child to be transported by another.

“It is parents’ jobs to ensure that children use seatbelts on car seats. To not let children sit on the laps of adults whilst in cars or not to allow very small children to sit in the front passenger seats, to not drink and drive and not let their children be transported by a person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Parents also have the duty to teach their children road safety and to make sure that they follow the rules,” said the child advocate.

The law provides, for traffic offences the driver of any vehicle regardless of whether a child is involved or not involved in a motor vehicle accident, will be held criminally and civilly liable should there be evidence of any wrongdoing on his or her part.

“One can argue for instance that a child injured in a MVA under circumstances where the parent was sitting in the front passenger seat carrying a two-year-old on her lap was deliberately negligent and could possibly be charged,” Husselmann added.

Source: Namibia Press Agency