There have been something like three driveway accidents in the past month, where young children have been run over - and killed - on their own driveway.
Next time you’re backing your car out of the garage, checking your mirrors and looking through the rear window, what can you see? Can you see the family cat who is lounging in the sun? No? Because the cat is too small. How tall does a child need to be, before you can see him standing behind your car?
I’ve just been out and measured our car. At 1m tall, a child standing behind our car would be only just visible - just the very top of his head. And we don’t have an especially high car. It’s not a 4WD which would be a lot higher.
So your average 5-year-old would be barely visible if I was backing my car; if I was lucky I might just see the very top of his head. And I’d probably only see him if he was standing up really straight - which little kids don’t do. They squat, and crouch, and look at ants and other tiny things on the ground. So I wouldn’t see him at all. Scary thought.
Fence your driveways. And your outdoor play areas. Make sure your kids can’t get out the front door and onto your driveway. Do whatever works at your house. Just make sure cars and children can’t get together. Cars and kids are a terrible mix. There’s no going back.