A tragic accident in Limpopo last week left a 13-year-old boy as the only survivor, losing his parents and two siblings.
13-Year-Old Boy Survives Limpopo Accident Which Killed His Parents And Siblings
Police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba told TimesLIVE that the family, accompanied by a neighbour, was travelling in a Toyota Corolla when the driver lost control near ga-Moraba village, colliding with a MAN truck. The crash claimed the lives of the boy’s father, aged 63, his mother, aged 50, his 29-year-old and three-year-old sisters, and their neighbour.
The only survivor, the 13-year-old boy, sustained severe injuries. Fortunately, the truck driver emerged from the accident unharmed. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, with charges of culpable homicide and reckless driving under scrutiny.
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Children’s Safety On The Road
The tragedy underscores a grim reality from the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), which reported 12,436 fatalities from car accidents in 2023, with 10.2% of victims being children from 0 to 14 years.
RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane reiterated:
“The RTMC calls for greater cooperation from motorists to reduce the number of children who are injured or killed on the roads. We believe that a small investment in child seats and restraints can go a long way in saving our children’s lives.”
Under the National Road Traffic Act, drivers must ensure children between three and 14 use either a child restraint or seat belt. Drivers must secure infants under three in a car seat.
Zaitoon Rabaney, executive director of ChildSafe SA, decried the preventable nature of child road fatalities and called upon drivers to prioritise safety measures, particularly during the Easter season:
“This Easter, we urge drivers to reflect on their road behaviour and commit to making the necessary changes. By simply buckling up, respecting speed limits and ensuring children are safely secured in appropriate car seats, we can dramatically reduce the risk of fatalities and severe injuries.”
The University of Cape Town’s African Brain Child Initiative provided alarming statistics, revealing that 96% of children admitted to the ICU with severe head injuries from car accidents were not properly restrained.