A NORM in most cars these days, there is indeed a case to make reverse angle cameras mandatory in all vehicles as the incident below clearly illustrates.
A CCTV video clip has been circulating on social media purportedly showing a car reversing at rather high speed into a five-year-old child. According to Harian Metro, the incident happened on Tuesday (Sept 5) in front of a pet food store in Puncak Alam, Selangor.
Kuala Selangor deputy police chief Supt Mohd Ambia Nordin said the driver had parked in a space in front of a pet food store but was unaware that his gear was still in reverse.
He accidentally stepped on the accelerator pedal, prompting the car to move at high speed into the girl who was playing near the shop’s entrance. The impact sent her crashing through the door of the shop.
“The girl sustained light injuries to her face and was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment after the accident,” he highlighted in a statement on Wednesday (Sept 6).
😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/4p5kpWQO2u
— MALAYSIA MOST VIRAL (@MALAYSIAVIRALLL) September 6, 2023
The young girl has since been discharged from the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) hospital in Puncak Alam.
“The driver’s statement has already been recorded,” he added. Mohd Ambia said that the driver, in his 30s, was not charged, but is being investigated under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Given the impact and that the child was sent crashing through the store’s front door, it is miraculous that she only suffered minor injuries.
It may be argued that the case constitutes gross negligence on the part of the driver and that he should be charged accordingly regardless of the severity of injuries sustained by the victim.
This may serve as a deterrent to other motorists to always exercise due diligence when commandeering a vehicle of any sort.
Since these reverse angle cameras are easily available online or at any car accessory shop, it may be high time for the authorities to insist that they are mandatory in all vehicles just like the installation of a third brake light.
Or stricter tests be implemented to ensure a higher grade of drivers are behind the wheel to avoid these sort of utterly preventable accidents. – Sept 8, 2023
