Kid's not being put in car seats!

Bener A.

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Department of Medical Statistics & Epidemiology Hamad General Hospital, Doha, State of Qatar. [email protected]

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Several Hamad studies have explored the pattern of road traffic accidents (RTA) and their causes in the State of Qatar.

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The data on RTA, injuries and fatalities was obtained from the Traffic Department of the Ministry of Interior, Supreme Council for Planning and Ministry of Public Health.

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It is possible to control the epidemic of road traffic injuries through strict policy interventions, mass media and a national traffic campaign to increase the use of seat belts.

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Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. [email protected]

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Head and neck injuries following the road traffic crashes (RTCs)... severity of injuries involved with road traffic crashes (RTCs)

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A retrospective descriptive hospital based study of patients with head and neck injuries seen and treated in the Accident and Emergency Department of the Hamad General Hospital and other Trauma Centers of the Hamad Medical Corporation. Details of all the road traffic crash patients were compiled in the database of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Overall, the incidence of head and neck injuries from road traffic crashes are increasing from road traffic crashes. The incidence of head and neck injuries is still very high in Qatar, but the severity of the findings of the study highlighted the need for taking urgent steps for safety of people.

The other day the car next to me was driving at 80kph, with a small child standing up in the back seat, her head and shoulders sticking up through the open sun roof. The driver and front passenger, both in abayas, were wearing seatbelts.

That said, 30 years ago my own mother would hold me on her lap as a baby in the car, seatbelts were only compulsory in the front seats then. Now she has bought a carseat for her car especially for her Grandchildren. It hasn't taken that long for attitudes to change in Western countries so hopefully Asian/Arab counties will catch up soon.

A few years ago my cousins wife was driving in Australia with her 3 year old daughter, she lost control at an intersection and her car rolled. She wasn't wearing a seatbelt (no idea why) and was flung from the open window. When the police arrived she was dead, the 3 year old, strapped safely into her carseat didn't have as much as scratch.

It's not lack of love, its lack of thought, that is putting children's lives at risk, an education campaign is important, and we should all, as individuals, take the time to point the danger out to others we see not putting their children in car seats/seat belts. It might annoy people, but it will save innocent lives.

am constantly stunned by the driving here. Such as texing/talking on phone with foot up on dash and small human projectiles jumping around inside the vehicle. I wonder what the statistics are for children less than 16 years of age being seriously maimed or killed due to not being properly restrained in any given year????

Doha Girl ,

I know i am a little bit late , but i just wanted to thank you for raising such issue . We cant point fingers at one certain nationality though , because i have seen several doing the same (Unfortunately) .

I totally support the idea of creating a campaign regarding baby seats in cars , and i am totally confident that Childrens rights in Doha will support this all the way .

Bel tawfeeg :>

دمت لنا يا بو مشعل

A video from the British Government and from the British police that will be shown in schools throughout the UK during 2009. This is a very graphic and bloody video.

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85% of crashes and 65% of near crashes involve driver distraction.

There will always be a persons who will not listen to warnings. The seatbelt warning message must be repeated often through many different venues.

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There are many ways to begin a well organized national safety campaign with the aim of teaching seatbelt safety to children.

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A concerned and loving mother watching. Then pictures of children fastening seat belts and saying "click-it" in various languages. Finishing up with an authoritative person saying... "The sound of fastening your seatbelt is the same in all languages."

I am really egar to start a campaign for this, one that will be effective, because so far the posters I see along the roads etc. aren't effective enough in my opinion. I dont know if they have already done one on child seats specifically. I dont know who i would speak to in order to get involved or take part in that? You know how they have quite a few exhibitons at the exhibition center in West Bay? Why not have one on car seats? People can come and check out all the different brands, and have all the information available to them,activities for their kids to educate them more on the issue aswell. So much that can be done!

Urgent steps are needed to educate children so they learn to protect themselves. Most young children love to learn and respect their teachers. So a message about seatbelt safety coming from their teachers or other authorities they respect is very effective.

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Effectively dealing with the 68% NON-QATARIS cited in the article above (males who are 20 years to 44 years) is yet another matter.

PM, that's exactly right. People need to be better educated, laws need to be created and effectively enforced.

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Great Ideas keiko....I really appreciate it.

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Whenever I find the KEY to SUCCESS...Someone STEALS it.

I would say the majority of times I see this happen is when the parents are Arabs or Asians, but I think that's because the education hasn't "taken" here yet. 30 years ago in the US, when my daughter was born the use of a child seat wasn't enforced by the police. We had child seats and I always used them, but I knew lots of parents who still held the babies or toddlers in their laps so they wouldn't cry. Over time, education caught on and now most Americans will secure their kids in car seats wherever they live/travel. I have child booster seats in Doha for my grandchildren (who are small at 6 & 8).

You need better educational programs and strong law enforcement to change it.

I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM

Here are some other marketing ideas:

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The back cover of a schoolbook cover is a great place for the government safety office to place a click-it message. It needs to be artistic and cute -- something children will like such as a favorite cartoon character or animal character they can color. The character or animal is wearing a seatbelt.

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School and central libraries can provide bookmarks to children with the click-it message on one side and the library website, phone and hours on the other side. Coordinate this with Qatar National Safety Day.

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A costumed character such as Mickey Mouse that appears at public events. He teaches seat belt safety and gives candy or prizes to children who correctly answer the safety questions.

Join the facebook group

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19861421940

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Mr. Q's Blog - A Qatari's view on Qatar.

It can't be more accurate...

No law regarding this issue is implemented that's why parents don't take it seriously.

The same goes with seatbelts. The traffic dept used to display warnings against the dangers of not using the seatbelt but only when it was enforced by law did drivers and front seat passengers abide by it.

The need to install a properly fitted child car safety seat is demonstrated by this dramatic video from the Automobile Association showing what could happen in a car crash..

&feature=related

There is too much intelligence required to understand your parabel, baldrick.

My way of dealing with the parents is like this:

Don't you like your child?

Yes I love him/her.

OK then, throw him/her aginst the windscreen.

Why should I do that? It will hurt him/her.

EXACTLY!

Well.... A few of you may not agree with me...but during my three years stay here in Doha... I would have hardly seen four or five Arabs fastening their seat belts while driving....and as far as kids are concerned....you would even find them in the lap of the person driving the car.

I agree...its not only the Arabs but they are more responsible than others as this is their country...I believe if they start behaving with some responsibility, most of the expats would follow them by obeying the law.

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Whenever I find the KEY to SUCCESS...Someone steals it.

Oh I don't doubt there's a good amount of Arabs. A fair percentage are from the sub-continent and a minority from Qatar and other countries, such is the make-up of the country with Qatari/Expat ratio being about 1:8

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Donoda i have to agree with u, I'm sure there are people from all nationalities that may make that mistake, but come on...it is rare to find a Qatari family who does use child car seats. I know many of them have large families, but we are in a country who is fortunate to be wealthy and able to afford having many children and can indeed afford to buy an extra car if needed and seat for all children who require one. It's just a matter of inconvenience I find.. Anywhere else in the world especially in the States or Europe, this issue is not taken lightly at all and people can easily be put in jail for that.

Too much money and no senses. Thats how we put it. Even kids are considered perishable items. One gone, a hundred can be made.

Well most of the people I've seen, I dare say 99% of the people I've seen in the roads speeding up with the kids jumping everywhere, are arabs. I'm not trying to offend any nationality, but it is what I see.

dont take it to ur heart no body is going to listen to u....but i really understand what u r tyring to convey....God bless u

I'm glad you're doing that too...the more the better.

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Honestly, I have stopped so many people on the road or rolled down my window and asked them wth they are doing! I think people SHOULD speak up when they see something they know is wrong, cuz it could save a life.

Perhaps you should have let her do just that to get the point across.

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I had never heard of the expression "Saudi air bags" til I came here....and I was grateful for seatbelts recently.....it was the only way I could restrain my mum from getting out of the car to abuse someone after she saw a young baby on someone's lap

smile lots laugh more

'If the car seats had Gucci covers or Louis vuitton everyone would have one!' it sounds cruel but it is unfortunately true!

And the worse of it, it's quite general in Arab countries I've lived in around!!!!! It hurts me more knowing I am from Arab origin

God save us!!!!

Unfortunately this not only applies to some Qataris but to some from many other nationalities as well, and I include western expats in that too. The number of times on a compound where I visit a friend I see little Danish children hanging out the windows, or on the drivers lap as the car is in motion, is countless. The reason I know they're Danish is because I flagged the parents down and struck up a conversation about child safety in cars. They didn't really take me seriously I have to say. Statistics show that MOST accidents happen close to home at a relatively slow speed.

It's worrying to see so many children not belted in properly on the roads. Currently the law states that children under twelve ought to be in the back seat. I think we need tougher laws, including mandatory baby car seats.

I give car seats as presents to friends and relatives who have had a baby. I also pass out leaflets made by the traffic police at intersections and the like but much more is needed.

From a Qataria who ALWAYS secures her three precious angels in properly ;)

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Thank u for that post keiko

The sad thing is that this issue soley revolves around basic common sense! And unfortunatly that is not something that can be taught. I would understand if people did not know any better, or needed to be educated on this topic, but everyone know's that if an accident occurs, no seat belts = death! well in most cases at least. Once they start fining them, they will start listening. I really hope this issue gets resolved soon for the childrens sake

The ones who survive will be the tough ones the country needs.

i can use marycatherine signature line for those parents : YOU CANT FIX STUPID ...

This is coming from ages you see it is now the time for these children to learn from their elders and when they grow the History repeats itself so dont be surprised if any expat is getting fine for traffic voilations as it is meant only for us

donosa, I'm not surprised by that, such a typical comment from them! Hearing things like that just make me so aggrevated. Well I bet you anything if the car seats had Gucci covers or Louis vuitton everyone would have one! I'm not intending to be rude, but sadly we all know thats true...

I have seen many non qataris also having there children jumping around in the car ...

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One life to live, live it to the fullest.

They have no heart.

I have seeing too many times just closed my eyes.

too bad the kids cannot choose their parents..

I noticed this almost everyday...

Yeah it bothers me too, but what can I do?,,, I'm just an expat. This is their land.

They are reckless parents indeed...

God gave them car seats to protect the children - my response to those who say "God will protect them" is "why do you take them to the doctor when they're sick? Why don't you let them play with matches or in traffic - won't God protect them there too?"

Signature line > "You can't fix stupid"

totally agree with donosa...

Oh that's very normal for them. Once someone told me "God will protect them". Honestly, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard (well, number two I think). I don't think anything will change their minds on that matter. They are just very very reckless parents.

are just decoration piece not much of use here.

i feel sorry for those kids for having such stupid and insensitive parents..