3YO Johor Boy On Scooter Dies After Pickup Truck Runs Him Over
The 3-year-old boy was playing on a scooter and stopped in front of a zebra crossing.
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A 3-year-old boy in a neighbourhood in Johor Bahru died after he was run down by a 4×4 pickup truck last Friday (4 August).
Based on the video, the boy was riding on a scooter without adult supervision. The boy stopped in front of a zebra crossing and an oncoming pickup truck ran over him.
A woman could be heard screaming while a small group of people ran over to check on the young boy who was now lying on the road.
Viewer discretion is advised if you want to view the video below.
South Johor police chief Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat confirmed the incident and said the 32-year-old suspect is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Upon conviction, the suspect faces imprisonment between two to 10 years and a fine between RM5,000 to RM20,000.
Mstar reported that the pickup driver was not a resident of the housing area. A media statement is not issued to respect the family’s privacy.
Netizens were horrified by the accident. While they sympathised with the parents’ loss, they also believe both parties are to be blamed for this.
They believe the parents or the adults caring for the boy should have kept an eye on him. As for the driver, they believe he should have been vigilant of his surroundings and slowed down while driving in the housing area.
Do adhere to the speed limit in housing areas
Generally, all road users should not be speeding in a housing area. The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) suggested that the speed limit in housing areas in cities and towns be maintained at 30km/h.
Road Safety Expert, Associate Professor Dr Law Teik Hua, said the lowered speed limit will indirectly reduce the impact in the event of road accidents.
The speed limit in housing areas and schools are also kept at 30km/h since these two areas are frequented by children.
Based on studies, driving at 30km/h is the safest speed limit. In the event of an accident, a vehicle travelling at 30km/h has time to brake and reduce the speed to 25km/h. At this speed, the victim or a child only suffers minor injuries.
However, if the speed is increased by 10km/h to 40km/h, the accident impact can cause grievous injuries with a 50% chance of death.
90% of pedestrians who died at the scene are due to vehicles travelling at 64km/h.
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