A cycling outing with two friends ended in tragedy for 14-year-old Muhammad Nur Shazly Mohd Ali on Monday (May 31).
That afternoon, the Damai Secondary School student was involved in a road accident with a truck at Marina East Drive and died at the scene.
Photos circulating on social media showed the teen's mangled bicycle lying on the road behind the truck.
The police arrested the 37-year-old driver of the Malaysia-registered truck for careless driving causing death. Investigations are ongoing.
The youngest of three children, Shazly was cared for by his grandmother and aunt, Nor Salinah Shalihen in Bedok, Berita Harian reported.
Upon learning of his death, Salinah said that family members were in complete shock.
Affectionately known as “Boy”, she remembers Shazly as someone who was generous and enjoyed helping others.
"Boy liked to help people... many people came to offer their condolences. We don't know them, but they knew Boy," Salinah said.
According to her, Shazly had aspirations of becoming a police officer.
“His future was very bright but, unfortunately, his life was not long," she lamented.
Anith Athirah Rahwom, a family friend who watched Shazly grow up over the years, told the Malay publication that the sad feelings currently felt cannot be expressed in words.
"Shazly is a person who could get along with everyone, regardless of race or age.
"We hope others take this as a lesson. We all have to be careful when cycling or driving, or doing anything on the road," she said.
The teen's funeral took place on Tuesday.
Preventing Children From A Cycling Accident In Singapore
Even the most mundane things in our everyday lives such as cycling can result in tragedy. So let us keep our children safe from any harm and teach them to remain vigilant and careful especially outdoors.
To help prevent children from getting into a fatal cycling accident in Singapore, here are important bicycle safety tips to remind them before they go out on their own:
- Ensure that they have all the right equipment. A helmet is an absolute must as we all know. But you should also make sure your child's bike has brakes and that they are in good condition.
- As much as possible, keep your child visible so he/she can be easily seen by other drivers. If you could, it would be better that your child wear bright clothes when going cycling.
- Teach your child how to properly ride their bikes. Remind them to keep both hands on the handlebars and that there should be only one person per bike.
- Keep any distractions away when cycling. Don't let your child ride a bike with headphones on, as they should be able to hear incoming traffic while they're riding their bikes.
- Have your child learn the rules of the road. If your child is old enough to understand traffic rules in Singapore, then it's best that they are informed of them before they ride out their bikes.
Lead image source from Facebook / SG Road Vigilante.
This article was first published in AsiaOne and republished on theAsianparent with permission.
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