Police have released a safety video urging motorists to take greater care when reversing their cars.

The warning comes following cases where parents have hit and killed young children after failing to spot them in the rear mirror.

Large sport utility vehicles are very common in the UAE and their height can make seeing small children tricky.
In April this year, a 17-month-old girl died after she was run over by a neighbour's car while playing near her house in Sharjah.

And in 2016, an Indian man from Abu Dhabi tragically ran over and killed his 18-month-old daughter in his 4x4.

“Parents should follow even the simplest driving rules while parking outside their homes,” Abu Dhabi Police said in a statement.And they should definitely not be checking their phones or social media accounts while doing so.

“Answering a call while parking also distracts the driver and could easily cause a crash.”

The police safety video advised drivers to open their car windows while exiting or entering a parking area so they could listen out for children playing.

It also suggested parents prevented their children from playing near carports, to lessen the chance of an accident.

So far, the video has been viewed more than 14,000 times by members of the public.