'What is murder?'

[Pitbull]

Here is the article:

20 May 2009, 06:51
Father drives over both his children: report
By Caryn Dolley

A traumatised father who police say accidentally drove over and killed his two children moments after he saw them falling out of his bakkie is receiving counselling with his wife.

Jan-Hendrik van der Merwe, who is former Springbok captain Corné Krige's brother-in-law, drove over his children, one-year-old Phillip and four-year-old Kirsten, on Monday on his farm in Victoria-West near Murraysburg.

A culpable homicide case is now being investigated.

Yesterday, police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said Van der Merwe and his wife had been "obviously very shaken" by what had happened. "They are very traumatised. We have organised trauma counselling for them. They have no other children," he said.

Pojie said the accident happened about 3pm on Monday.

"(Van der Merwe) was driving his 4x4 bakkie on a gravel road. The two children were sitting next to him. As he got to a slight bend in the road, one of the children apparently opened the door and both fell out. They landed under the rear wheels," he said.

Van der Merwe immediately stopped his bakkie and got out. Pojie said he realised that the children were dead.

He said officers were investigating whether the children had been secured with a seatbelt, how they were positioned and whether the doors of the bakkie had been locked.

A culpable homicide case was opened, and Pojie said a senior State prosecutor would review the matter.

---------------------- ends article

I feel for this man and his family, because it was a horrible freak accident.

This man knows he made a fatal mistake.

The mistake he made was:

- he made a rational choice to ignore basic safety guidelines

- what road he was on or what vehicle he drove is beside the point at this stage
- adults understand velocity and impact and know what the consequences can be

- parents know that children and cardoor fiddeling is a possible safety issue

I disagree with this part.

Growing up on a farm I know how people treat gravel roads. I myself have been driving on gravel roads since the age of 10. Tractors and so forth are the only vehicles on these roads (It's not public roads)

Because of this people are relaxed on these roads. I have never buckled up on the gravel roads on the farm neither have I made any accidents on one. The odds of you meeting another car on a farm road is less than 1% depending on where you live. (This happened in the Karoo )

As for the type of car.

The single cab bakkies does not have a childlock. In this case it does make a difference. This is assuming he was driving a single cab and not a double cab.

Also, the kids might have been buckled up (Again I'm assuming they where not) and gotten out of the seat belt like kids do if you strap them in. The kid of 4 years could have easly unlocked the door while the dad is driving, this is also a possibility.

I have certainly learned allot from this accident as I can relate very closely with the father. My kids sit infront sometimes and I hardly ever buckle them up. I myself don't buckle up either unless I'm on a highway.

Now with that in mind, I'm a normal person and I think most of us can relate to this story. Now if that is the case it means it was a freak accident that could have been avoided. It doesn't make him a killer.

 

[hj2k_x]

I disagree with this part.

Growing up on a farm I know how people treat gravel roads. I myself have been driving on gravel roads since the age of 10. Tractors and so forth are the only vehicles on these roads (It's not public roads)

Because of this people are relaxed on these roads. I have never buckled up on the gravel roads on the farm neither have I made any accidents on one. The odds of you meeting another car on a farm road is less than 1% depending on where you live. (This happened in the Karoo )

As for the type of car.

The single cab bakkies does not have a childlock. In this case it does make a difference. This is assuming he was driving a single cab and not a double cab.

Also, the kids might have been buckled up (Again I'm assuming they where not) and gotten out of the seat belt like kids do if you strap them in. The kid of 4 years could have easly unlocked the door while the dad is driving, this is also a possibility.

I have certainly learned allot from this accident as I can relate very closely with the father. My kids sit infront sometimes and I hardly ever buckle them up. I myself don't buckle up either unless I'm on a highway.

Now with that in mind, I'm a normal person and I think most of us can relate to this story. Now if that is the case it means it was a freak accident that could have been avoided. It doesn't make him a killer.

Why do you not buckle up? And why not at least buckle your kids up?

 

[Serqet]

It's carelessness. Full stop!

 

[noxibox]

The problem with your line of thought is , when you are in an accident and you have a serious injury due to you not wearing a safety belt maybe you get disabled for life you will still want to claim from the Road Accident fund or the state will have to find a foster home for your kids, if such an event occurs the state is also involveed as is every tax payer.

You don't do anything risky right? And I really do mean anything. Wouldn't want you hurting yourself and costing me money.