In January three boys were burned to death at their home in Hsinchu while their parents were out working. Earlier this month in Kaohsiung, a girl surnamed Lee fell to her death from an open window while looking for her mother.
There were 19 similar accidents to young children without parental supervision this year as of April, up from eight during the corresponding period last year.
These resulted in six deaths, according to Chin-chuan Children's Safety Association.
A survey conducted by the association found that in Taipei, more than 70 percent of parents had left their children alone, and over 50 percent of children said they are afraid when left alone.
"Thoughts like `I'm only going out to do some grocery shopping,' or `I'll run some errands while my kid is sleeping' are very dangerous. Leaving children at home alone could lead to horrendous accidents," said Lin Yue-chin (林月琴), director of the association, yesterday.
Lin was speaking at a "Children's Safety Day" event which was co-hosted by the association and Taipei City's Social Welfare Department.
To promote children's safety, the city government has designated today as the city's "Children's Safety Day," stressing the importance of keeping children under supervision while providing them with basic safety knowledge.
Besides ignoring the danger of leaving children alone, parents' lack of basic knowledge also contributed to the rising number of children's accidents, department head Chang Shu-wen (
According to the survey which polled more than 4,000 children and their parents in Taipei, more than 70 percent of parents think the most dangerous place for children at home is the kitchen. But statistics show that living rooms, where 30 percent of children's accidents occur, are the most dangerous places. Only 8 percent of children were hurt in the kitchen.
"But the most important thing parents should keep in mind is that they should never leave children under the age of six alone. Children from age seven to 12 are more frequently left unsupervised, so it's crucial to teach them safety information," Chang said.
The Children's Welfare Law (兒童福利法) prohibits parents from leaving children under the age of six alone or leaving children under the age of 12 in dangerous places. Parents who violate the law face fines of up to NT$100,000 and the publication of their names.
Although more than 95 percent of parents are aware of the law, many still left their children unattended in cars or at home for reasons including "having to deal with unexpected things," "working" or "shopping," the survey said.
Lin urged parents to not only stay with their children, but also pay full attention to their safety.
Parents should also educate children under 12 to avoid walking or playing alone, be careful with money, to not to talk to strangers, and to be familiar with helpful information in the community.
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