The death of a child run over by a vehicle at Princess Juliana International Airport SXM sent shockwaves throughout the community on Saturday. The boy was hit by a shuttle bus outside the departure hall.
The horrible incident also raised many questions, as it did not happen out on the main road, but rather right in front of the terminal where passengers are dropped off and near a “zebra-path” crosswalk.
It was actually in the lane used exclusively by taxis and shuttle buses, where the maximum speed is said to be only 5 miles per hour.
The driver apparently claims he never saw the victim and did not even notice the impact immediately. This probably means he never hit the brakes to slow the vehicle down.
Further investigation will have to determine how fast he was actually going. However, the reality is that a small child suddenly coming onto the street, particularly if from behind another, parked vehicle, could be hard for someone seated relatively high up in a bus to see.
Some will no doubt look to the father who failed to stop his son, but kids will be kids and often do unexpected things before adults are able to react. His tragic loss, as hard as it may sound, should serve as a caution for every parent or caretaker to try to maintain control of children at all times as much as possible, especially where motorised traffic is concerned.
There is no clear speed limit sign where the accident occurred. Of course, the transport professionals allowed to use the lane in question must certainly know they have to drive slowly, but perhaps it can’t hurt to remind them of such a bit more.
