Coroner’s office warns of roadway dangers for children
Office has investigated 4 deaths of children related to roadways and snowmobile trails since 2020
The Nunavut’s Coroner’s Office is urging Nunavummiut to be aware of dangers of playing around roadways and trails after investigating four children’s deaths since 2020 due to motor vehicle accidents. (Photo by Meral Jamal)
The Nunavut coroner’s office is advising Nunavummiut to be aware of dangers to children near roadways and snowmoble trails in the territory.
“Since 2020, the coroner’s office has investigated the deaths of four children involved in motor vehicle accidents while sliding and playing near roadways,” said Nunavut chief coroner Khen Sagadraca in a news release issued Thursday.
“These very unfortunate incidents continue to occur in Nunavut communities and are preventable tragedies.”
The coroner’s office recommends drivers pay close attention when operating vehicles in areas where children play nearby, including sliding hills, playgrounds and trails, Sagadraca said.
Parents are encouraged to discuss with their children the importance of staying a safe distance away from roadways and high-traffic trails, and outdoor safety generally.
“As community members, we all have a responsibility in ensuring our children remain safe while enjoying outdoor activities,” Sagadraca said.
Water truck and sewage truck drivers shouldnt be allowed on the road without a spotter. Didn’t show up today? To bad no water and pump-out for you. Kids are bumped by these trucks too often and dogs too. One life lost is too many.
Parents are and should be responsible for their children at all times.
Yes , parents take responsibility for your kids, when they go out to play, but drivers take responsibility for driving just a bit more alert in areas where kids could just come out around a corner or a house, or whatever, playing. We all must take responsibility.
Parents need to teach their children to stay off the roads, the roads are not a play ground. Its crazy how here in Iqaluit all the kids are on the roads everywhere, teach the kids to stay off the roads otherwise parents should be held accountable for not parenting.
Kids on the roads as always in our communities, and in bigger communities it’s even more concerning, more traffic. Parents should be held accountable, I agree. But let’s do more. Let’s as a community stand behind this problem. We have the city, we have police, we have schools that can help, and ordinary citizens and drivers need to get involved in this too, not only take more caution, which need to be, but actively and consistently engage in positive dialogue, whether that be slowing down to tell the kids or making it known by a few honks, and pointing them not to be on the roads. Next time you are out there, be a participant in getting this problem dealt with. It’s everyone’s problem. But I do agree , it’s starts with good parenting.
I myself lost a child due to a service truck, this person driving didn’t not stop at the stop sign and continue on…People who drive’s a vehicle, if it may be personal or a work, service truck… Learn to stop at the stop signed for at least 5-8 seconds before you continue.
Law enforcers also needs to look at the speeding of these service truck!!