Aalin’s death sparks a campaign for child safety in Kerala

The death of Aalin Sherin Abraham, the infant who lost her life in a vehicle accident the other day, has plunged the State into grief and sparked a campaign for child safety in Kerala.

The car in which Aalin was travelling with her family members without a Child Restraint System (CRS) had collided with another vehicle on February 5. She was declared brain-dead at a private hospital in Kochi the next day. Later, her kidneys, heart, liver, and corneas were donated to four children, thus making her the youngest organ donor in the State.

The Kerala government had announced that the upcoming Institute of Organ and Tissue Transplant in Kozhikode would be named after her.

Meanwhile, online campaigns calling for strict enforcement of the use of CRS in cars have gained traction, with some campaigners mailing to the State Transport Minister.

Passenger safety experts felt that the death of Aalin was an avoidable one had she been made to sit in a CRS, the safety seat to protect children in motor vehicle accidents by restricting body movement during collisions or sudden stoppage of the vehicle.

Section 194 B of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, has made the driving of a motor vehicle without securing the child below the age of 14 “by a safety belt or a child restraint system” a culpable offence. The State Transport department is planning to resume the awareness campaign highlighting the need to use CRS following the tragic death of Aalin, said C. Nagaraju, State Transport Commissioner.

“These days, one can see more children wearing helmets on two-wheelers. We also see some parents using velcro-based ‘child safety harness’ strapped to themselves and their children to secure them from falling off while travelling on two-wheelers. This life-saving intervention could be popularised through sustained campaigns. The tragic death of the baby girl must serve as a warning call. We will shortly come up with reels and other campaigns to promote the use of CRS,” said Mr. Nagaraju, who noted that the life of the child could have been saved if she had been made to sit in a CRS in the car back seat.

He also suggested that small children should never be made to sit in the front seat. CRS is supposed to be used in the rear seat. The CRS model has to be changed as the child grows in height and weight. “This investment is worth it because it saves lives and precludes lifelong suffering,” he said.

The MV Act prescribes that children below 14 years and of a height below 135 cm have to mandatorily use CRS in cars and a safety harness and helmet while on two-wheelers. Age group-specific CRS is widely available in the market. It does not cost much when compared to the money that is spent on customisation of vehicles, he said.

The Act prescribes a fine of ₹1,000 for those who drive a motor vehicle or cause or allow a motor vehicle to be driven with a child who, not having attained the age of fourteen years, is not secured by a safety belt or a child restraint system.