There has been countless of incidents involving children who unexpectedly dash across the roads and put themselves in impending danger—an absolute nightmare to any parent, one that no one ever wishes to ever experience.
One parent, however, had to experience this distressing incident on National Day, 9 August 2020.
The blood-curdling moment of a toddler running onto a road was captured on a car dashcam footage, posted onto Facebook page All Singapore Stuff.
From the footage, the incident appeared to have taken place along Pasir Ris Drive 1 at 10.24pm on 9 August.
The driver had been steadily driving along the road when a little boy suddenly turned left from a smaller road and ran onto the main road. Fortunately, the driver was alert and immediately slowed down.
Toddler dashes without warning onto a main road along Pasir Ris Drive 1. | Image source: Facebook screengrab
The boy who ran barefooted, however, continued on ahead of the vehicle despite noticing it.
After trailing behind the boy for a couple more seconds, the driver stopped the car briefly and a man from the car took off to save the boy. At that moment, the boy was dangerously close to the cars driving along the other side of the lane.
Image source: Facebook screengrab
The man eventually caught up with the boy and picked him off the ground before bringing him back to safety at the roadside.
Many netizens flocked to the comments section of the post to berate the boy’s parents for negligence, with some even assuming that the man who rescued him was his father.
Image source: Facebook screengrabs
Whilst no parent would ever wish for such a situation unto their child, some users called for more understanding instead of jumping to conclusions.
Image source: Facebook screengrabs
Child Left The House Without His Mum Knowing
According to mum Theresa Liza who recounted the incident in a now deleted Facebook post (10 Aug), her handyman was fixing her CCTV and had forgotten to close the gate. This allowed her little boy Trevor to run out of the house while she was in the room, unbeknownst to her.
Image source: Facebook screengrab
After realising that Trevor was nowhere to be found at home, both Theresa and the handyman dashed off in search for the young child, said to be a child with special needs according to Theresa.
In her panic-stricken state, the mum was said to have run out of the house with neither shoes nor a mask.
While her efforts to search for Trevor in nearby areas were fruitless, Theresa eventually spotted him after deciding to make a u-turn.
“I decided to make a U-turn and was running when I saw a couple holding him with Thierry and handyman very near to my home. My heart was thumping real fast,” said Theresa.
Child Was Rescued by A Couple
Following the incident, the mum shared in her post that she is grateful towards a kind-hearted Malay couple who was identified to have saved Trevor from the potential harm.
“To the Malay couple who found him dash across through the road and came out of the car & saved him, words cannot be described how I am feeling.. I am thankful, appreciative and I don’t know what to say… I could have lost him… He has no sense of danger as he is a special child.. (sic), wrote Theresa.
She also expressed her fervent hope to find them and hopes that the public can help in sharing her story.
“To the couple who saved his life, please come forward… I was too shocked and could not say anything much earlier besides May Allah bless you both..,” she added.
Child Pedestrian Safety Education Tips
Whether it is a toddler or an older child, it is important for parents to help kids be independent and responsible pedestrians, starting from a young age wherever possible.
While unexpected road situations could sometimes occur, we can help minimise the risk of our loved ones by following these simple rules for kids and adults alike—especially in the case of children such as Trevor, who might be less-equipped with the skills needed to assess and choose safe routes, as well as to judge when and where to cross the street.
Important tips for parents to note:
- First thing first, always ensure that your home window grills and doors are securely locked, to prevent little ones from leaving home.
- Parents too, should teach by example when crossing the road with their children.
- Find accessible, walkable, and well-lit routes to walk to their destination.
- Teach children that while the green signal means ok to cross the road, it does not mean that it is entirely safe. All vehicles should halt before proceeding.
- Observe how fast oncoming vehicles are approaching.
- Ensure to keep a lookout that all traffic lanes are cleared of moving vehicles.
- Pay full attention to walking and avoid distractions such as using mobile phones on the road.
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