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5-year-old jay-walker lead by negligent grand-father dies after being hit by car . Grand-father lay down to plead not negligent
Fri, Dec 04, 2009
The Straits Times
By Sujin Thomas
SHE had started piano lessons at a music school in Punggol Plaza three weeks ago and was already showing a flair for the keys.
But while on the way to her weekly class on Tuesday evening with her grandfather, a car ploughed into Zhao Lin Qian, killing the five-year-old instantly.
The pair were believed to have been jaywalking across the two-lane Punggol Field Road at about 8pm when she was hit.
There was a pedestrian crossing as well as an overheard bridge nearby, but they had not used either.
Lin Qian was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, said a Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman.
Police said that a 27-year-old car salesman, who was at the wheel of the Subaru Impreza, has been arrested and investigations are ongoing.
According to Traffic Police statistics, 21 pedestrians were killed in road accidents from January to June this year.
Of the fatalities, eight were elderly people while one was a child.
The figure is a 36 per cent drop compared with the same period last year. A total of 62 pedestrians died on Singapore roads last year.
At the family's home at Edgedale Plains yesterday, her paternal grandfather Zhao Shi Long was enraged as he recalled Tuesday's tragic events.
With tears welling in his eyes, the 57-year-old told The Straits Times in Mandarin: "She was holding on to my hand as we crossed the road and she was two steps ahead of me."
It was his first time accompanying her to the class and he did not know how to get there, so Lin Qian led the way.
Mr Zhao added: "The car was going very fast and it just hit her. What could I have done?"
Mr Zhao was unhurt.
He said that he and his wife had just arrived from Fujian, China, about a week ago to spend time with the family.
Normally, the girl's father, an engineer, would take her to class - a 10-minute walk from home - but he was not free on Tuesday.
Lin Qian's parents are believed to have arrived here from China some years ago and moved into the Punggol flat about two years ago. The couple also have a two-year-old son.
A family friend, Miss Cai S.Q., 28, said that the girl's parents were too distraught to speak. Lin Qian was cremated at Mandai Crematorium yesterday afternoon.
An administrative assistant at the Cristofori Music School in Punggol Plaza said that Lin Qian had enrolled in a beginner's class in classical piano on Nov 10 and had shown a promising start.
Giving her name only as Jasmine, she appeared shocked to hear the news that the girl had died. She described Lin Qian as an obedient girl.
She added that a woman in her 20s had burst through the doors of the school on Tuesday night - minutes before the class was supposed to start at 8.30pm - looking frantic and upset.
She said: "The woman looked like she had been crying and was carrying a music book belonging to Lin Qian."
The woman did not identify herself but asked for Lin Qian's home telephone number, saying that the girl had been in a road accident and was covered in blood.
Jasmine added: "I thought she was going to be fine."
The Traffic Police reminded all pedestrians that they should use designated crossings.
Motorists should also be alert and anticipate sudden occurrences on the road, such as people darting out, and slow down or prepare to brake when necessary.
Fri, Dec 04, 2009
The Straits Times
By Sujin Thomas
SHE had started piano lessons at a music school in Punggol Plaza three weeks ago and was already showing a flair for the keys.
But while on the way to her weekly class on Tuesday evening with her grandfather, a car ploughed into Zhao Lin Qian, killing the five-year-old instantly.
The pair were believed to have been jaywalking across the two-lane Punggol Field Road at about 8pm when she was hit.
There was a pedestrian crossing as well as an overheard bridge nearby, but they had not used either.
Lin Qian was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, said a Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman.
Police said that a 27-year-old car salesman, who was at the wheel of the Subaru Impreza, has been arrested and investigations are ongoing.
According to Traffic Police statistics, 21 pedestrians were killed in road accidents from January to June this year.
Of the fatalities, eight were elderly people while one was a child.
The figure is a 36 per cent drop compared with the same period last year. A total of 62 pedestrians died on Singapore roads last year.
At the family's home at Edgedale Plains yesterday, her paternal grandfather Zhao Shi Long was enraged as he recalled Tuesday's tragic events.
With tears welling in his eyes, the 57-year-old told The Straits Times in Mandarin: "She was holding on to my hand as we crossed the road and she was two steps ahead of me."
It was his first time accompanying her to the class and he did not know how to get there, so Lin Qian led the way.
Mr Zhao added: "The car was going very fast and it just hit her. What could I have done?"
Mr Zhao was unhurt.
He said that he and his wife had just arrived from Fujian, China, about a week ago to spend time with the family.
Normally, the girl's father, an engineer, would take her to class - a 10-minute walk from home - but he was not free on Tuesday.
Lin Qian's parents are believed to have arrived here from China some years ago and moved into the Punggol flat about two years ago. The couple also have a two-year-old son.
A family friend, Miss Cai S.Q., 28, said that the girl's parents were too distraught to speak. Lin Qian was cremated at Mandai Crematorium yesterday afternoon.
An administrative assistant at the Cristofori Music School in Punggol Plaza said that Lin Qian had enrolled in a beginner's class in classical piano on Nov 10 and had shown a promising start.
Giving her name only as Jasmine, she appeared shocked to hear the news that the girl had died. She described Lin Qian as an obedient girl.
She added that a woman in her 20s had burst through the doors of the school on Tuesday night - minutes before the class was supposed to start at 8.30pm - looking frantic and upset.
She said: "The woman looked like she had been crying and was carrying a music book belonging to Lin Qian."
The woman did not identify herself but asked for Lin Qian's home telephone number, saying that the girl had been in a road accident and was covered in blood.
Jasmine added: "I thought she was going to be fine."
The Traffic Police reminded all pedestrians that they should use designated crossings.
Motorists should also be alert and anticipate sudden occurrences on the road, such as people darting out, and slow down or prepare to brake when necessary.
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