Sunday, August 1, 2010

A Dubai family say they fear for their lives after a car smashed into their front garden for a third time.

The Shah family, who live in Springs 1, have called for urgent traffic calming measures after a Hummer crashed through their villa wall yesterday morning, throwing debris across their garden.

The accident came just a month after a taxi smashed through the same wall, also causing havoc for the family. And a Porsche also crashed into the wall in 2006, scattering car parts across the garden and making the front page of 7DAYS.

Sabrina Shah said her family was now living in fear and is pleading with property company EMAAR to introduce measures to slow down traffic on their road.

“We live just off a roundabout and cars don’t stop when they come swinging in here. I think EMAAR should put in a reinforced wall or barrier and help stop any more accidents,” she said.

There are already speed bumps in the area but the Shahs would like greater protection for their house.

Mrs Shah, who is pregnant, said she feared for her life and the lives of her family.

The latest accident happened at 1am yesterday when a woman crashed a Hummer into the wall, just minutes after Mrs Shah’s husband, Mohsin, had come in from the garden.
The Hummer smashed through the wall, throwing bricks across the garden. It was very similar to last month’s accident, when a taxi also crashed straight through the wall.

“Luckily, the drivers only had minor injuries but I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time before someone is killed or seriously injured”, Mrs Shah said.

She said her front garden was “really tiny” and that the family were afraid to be there in case a car comes crashing through the wall.

An Emaar official visited the house yesterday to inspect the damage from the accident.

A customer service representative at Emaar’s customer helpline said yesterday that the family should make a suggestion and that the query would be passed on Emaar’s community management section for consideration.

The Emaar media office had not return calls from 7DAYS at the time of going to press.

sean.odriscoll@7days.ae