Danger on roads outside schools
Two stories in the Gulf Times this morning, both regarding deaths on roads outside schools.
Driver fined for crash death
slapped with a fi ne of QR10,000 for causing the death of a school girl in an accident. The Doha court of fi rst instance ordered the driver, 27, to pay QR200,000 blood money, jointly with the insurance company, to the family of the four-year old girl. The accident took place in the morning of October 18 last year few metres away from the Lebanese School in Dafna. A traffi c policeman told the court that the girl died in the hospital of her wound soon after arriving there. Judge Mamon Hamour ruled that the driver was responsible for the death of the girl, based on the testimony of the policeman. The convict’s driving licence has suspended for three months.
Speeding vehicle knocks down Pakistani expatriate
57-year-old Pakistani national was knocked down by a speeding vehicle near the Pakistan Education Centre in Abu Hamour, earlier this week. The victim, identified as Rana Imtiaz Nassem Choudhary Shafi , was from Lahore and left the Qatar Air Force to work for a private fi rm. Community sources said the accident took place when the victim was helping his children cross the road in front of the PEC. Two of his daughters are students at the PEC. Shafi also leaves behind his wife and two sons, who are tudents at Bright Future Pakistani School (BFPS). The family has not travelled to Pakistan for several years owing to fi nancial diffi culties, said a family friend. The eldest girl is 17 years and the youngest son is only 10 years. The victim stayed near the Muntaza Gardens. On hearing about Shafi ’s death, a relative has come from Dubai to help the family repatriate his body. Arrangements are being made to send the body home, possibly by tomorrow. Those wishing to make enquiries with the grieving family may call 4437-5081.
Lol Flor... whatever it is ... It cant be higher than ONE human life ;)
What about providing a 'walkalator' towards the bridge and then an escalator and elevator to go up and another 'walkalator' to go to the other side of the road. The bridge should be enclosed and air-conditioned of course!
of a pedestrian bridge? And do you think the parents will use it? Just walking 10 meters, they can't do, climbing a bridge you asked? Must be something you ate this morning, Padre? Or it's really a hard thing doing babysitting? Hehehehehe!!!!
All schools could build a bridge across the roads.... around them.... that the children/parents can use.... like they have in Education City....
Eve..thanks.. rgd the parent- no he wasnt :( I guess he crossed safely with his children and drove off.
From what I understand the parents at the American School have been told not to cross the road, I hope the man that crossed realizes people could of been killed due to his ignorance. That being said a person should be in control of their vehicle and be able to break if cars are stopped, so the truck driver is clearly at fault, its true people drive here as if they are the only ones in the universe. But that road is like a highway and not meant to be crossed. Haadian7 very glad you are alright and your child was not with you, also make sure your head rests are positioned for your height in case of accidents. Its true whenever I see a man in uniform he is usually a very bad driver, and I give him extra caution. Its funny you would think the police would try to set a a good example. Haadian was the parent involved interviewed by the police?
Qatar's judicial system / road safety and journalism, all on their best!
just imagine that along D Ring road flor, drivers often let kids go out of the car on the side of the road where there are speeding cars coming from the flyover tsk!
a big problem for motorists on a daily basis. The undisciplined way of unloading and loading children is really a mess and accidents are really always there to happen. Most of the times, they occupy the road in such a way that one lane is often the only access for two opposing vehicles. Many times, patience runs off with such situation in most schools!
Why can't they demarcate school zones and make a person with big sign as "school crossing" stand on the road during school hours in morning as well as afternoon to help people cross road?
I was in a 3 car accident on E Ring jus opposite American Academy school gate last Wednesday 13 Oct @1.40pm. There were about more than 10 cars which had already stopped ahead of us and we stopped too- to let a father and his children from the American Academy school cross the road.
A Mitsubishi pick up came at full speed and hit us from behind causing my car to lurch forward and slam into the car in front of me. The front of the pick up was totally smashed and the driver was injured and bleeding. My car was badly damaged ( now estimated by the car agent at QR80K in damages) Thank god, me & my 2 sons whom I picked up earlier from another school escaped with whiplash and some minor bruises. Thank God, my little girl came home sick earlier - the side she always sits in the car is the badly damaged side!
The E Ring Road has a speed limit of 100km/hr and NOBODY-(CHILDREN OR THEIR PARENTS or anybody) should be allowed to cross that road!!
The American Academy should strictly warn the parents and students too against crossing on the E Ring Road.
God forbid if any further accidents were to occur on that stretch and the others mentioned by timebandit.
The main problem is that drivers are forced to do this because no-one is willing to walka few yards. They think it demeaning :O(
the cars just park in the road - so regular drivers have to go around and the traffic jams and jostling are terrible. -
this happens exactly to the letter Oryx, those 2 schools along D Ring road
The school on my way to work...forget the name...near Khalifa stadium is an unbelievable nightmare.
The cars just park in the road - so regular drivers have to go around and the traffic jams and jostling are terrible.
a. the cars need to park properly.
b. an adult needs to get out of the car and collect sprog
(now there is a novelty WALK)
c. a crossing patrol person is required
d. police to prosecute those who offend
The worst worst offenders of speeding and dangerous driving on my way to and from work are police/soldiers going to work....
Human lives can never be measured in terms of money..
It's really a sad and tragic loss..
May GOD give enough strength to the grieving families to overcome the LOSS that can never come back..
The driver that killed the 4 year old girl even after the mother stopped him to cross the road should of been put in jail much longer and never allowed to drive again, then this sets a clearer message that reckless driving will not be tolerated. He killed a young child, the blood money means nothing to a family when they lose a child, but their daughter getting justice is far easier to live with.
It is all about education and enforcement. People need to be educated regarding safer driving and courtesy.
In addition, police and courts have to start handing out stiffer sentences to push the message home.
i think pathetic is an understatement for these stupid drivers FathimaH, reckless driving resulting to death should have a very harsh punishment, suspension of driver's licence for 3 months is so absurd! they should be banned from driving for the rest of their life and sent to jail for the rest of their lifetime.
the driver's license was suspended for only 3 months... :/
very true snm ... this petty amount doesnt hurt at all ... feel very sad for both fmailies ... may god help the grieving families
I'm always filled with fear whenever my daughter leaves for school due to stories like this. Its pathetic how to some people human lives, other's lives rather, are so insignificant. Why else do we see so many accidents now? Allahu mustaan..Isn't it common sense that when you drive past schools to automatically slow down?Guess not anymore!
yes it's like a slap on the wrist!
I personally think the penalty to the driver responsible for the death of 4 year old girl is less.
His deeds and his actions are hideous and he should have been made an example for other reckless drivers.
what a total waste of human life!