A heart-wrenching incident unfolded at Capital Karts in Barking, east London, leading to the tragic death of 15-year-old Ruwaida Adan. Described by her mother as a ‘beacon of kindness,’ Ruwaida was on a youth group outing at the go-karting venue in August 2021 when the dreadful accident occurred.
As Ruwaida manoeuvred a faulty go-kart around the circuit, her hijab became entangled in a part of the vehicle due to a missing guard that should have been in place.
The fabric wrapped around the rotating rear axle gear and drive belt, resulting in her being strangled in front of her friends.
Despite immediate resuscitation efforts at the venue and subsequent hospital treatment, Ruwaida succumbed to hypoxic brain injury and asphyxiation four days later. Metro.co.uk reports.
Ruwaida’s mother, Amina Mohamed, expressed profound grief, highlighting her daughter’s kind-hearted nature, humour, and unwavering support. The loss of Ruwaida at such a young age has left an indelible void in their lives, robbing her of a promising future filled with plans and dreams.
An investigation by Barking and Dagenham Council revealed severe health and safety failures at Capital Karts Trading, the venue operator. The absence of pre-race checks on the go-karts by venue mechanics, including the missing guard on the vehicle involved in the accident, raised critical safety concerns.
Furthermore, the venue lacked a system to identify and prevent customers with potentially hazardous clothing, such as loose items like hijabs, from participating in go-karting activities.
Following legal proceedings, Capital Karts Trading was ordered to pay a substantial fine of £90,000, additional costs, and a victim surcharge. The court’s decision reflects the gravity of the safety lapses that led to Ruwaida’s tragic demise.
Amina Mohamed expressed relief at the accountability imposed on Capital Karts and thanked the council for pursuing justice.
Gary Jones from Barking and Dagenham Council emphasised the importance of implementing robust safety measures in recreational businesses like go-karting venues to prevent similar tragedies.
Ruwaida’s family hopes that her untimely passing will catalyse positive changes in safety regulations within the go-karting industry.
Although Capital Karts Barking has since closed, the incident underscores the importance of prioritising safety protocols to prevent such devastating accidents.
