SINGAPORE - When Norazmi Makmor saw his nine-year-old daughter with red stains all over her body and clothes, he thought she had been playing with watercolours.
He did not realise she had just been run over by a taxi and was drenched in blood.
On Feb 9, 2024, Nurshafira Ariana Norazmi, nine, was hit by a taxi while crossing a road junction at Gangsa Road and Bukit Panjang Road.
She had left her flat in Bukit Panjang alone to get a book from a friend who lives nearby.
Seeing the light at the pedestrian crossing was green in her favour, she dashed across the road, and a taxi coming from her right ran her over.
After being hit, Nurshafira stood up and limped towards the taxi.
Recalling the accident, Nurshafira, now 11, said on May 4: "I remember getting hit, but I don't remember getting up immediately. At that point, I didn't feel much pain. It was like my body was numb.
"When I saw the blood on me, I was very shocked. I also felt very scared. I thought - is this my last chance to be living in this world?"
Nurshafira suffered multiple injuries, including a deep wound on her left arm, lacerations on her scalp, chin and ear, and a chipped front tooth.
She was hospitalised for three days and returned to school after three weeks.
The 72-year-old driver was penalised with a composition fine of $500 and nine demerit points for driving without reasonable consideration, causing hurt.
Traffic deaths hit a 10-year high in 2025 with 149 people killed, compared with 141 in 2016. There were 142 deaths in 2024. The number of people injured has also risen - from 9,342 in 2024 to 9,955 in 2025.
Given the dire situation on Singapore's roads, The Straits Times has been running a series of stories calling on all road users to be more careful.
Norazmi, who is in his 50s and has three daughters, said he was in his bedroom preparing to pray when he heard a commotion in the living room.
He said: "I heard shouting and crying outside. When I came out, I saw red everywhere and thought my girls had been playing with red watercolour. But it was actually (Nurshafira's) blood."
Even though the accident happened over two years ago, the image of his bloodied daughter is seared into his memory.
Norazmi said: "The first thing that came to mind when I saw her covered in blood was that I would lose her. As a father, this little girl is so precious to me. How can I lose her?"
Norazmi said he was compelled to speak about the accident to warn drivers to be more attentive on the roads.
"I want to tell road users: Don't just think about yourself, you need to think about others too."
The accident was captured by the in-car camera of Sergeant Eugene Wee, a police officer from Marina Bay Neighbourhood Police Centre, who was off duty at the time.
He had been driving with his wife to his mother-in-law's home for Chinese New Year reunion dinner.
He said: "When I saw the girl get knocked over by the taxi, especially seeing the impact of the accident and how small she was, my first thought was she would either be unconscious or gone."
Before alighting to attend to Nurshafira, Sgt Wee drove in front of the taxi to prevent it from leaving.
He said: "She was crying and repeatedly asking the driver, 'Why did you hit me?' The driver stayed silent. I was shocked she was conscious and able to talk. But I was worried she would suddenly collapse."
Sgt Wee quickly identified himself as a police officer, detained the driver and called the police and for an ambulance. He also asked his wife to move Nurshafira to the pavement as the roads were busy.
Meanwhile, a doctor who witnessed the accident checked on Nurshafira, and walked with her back to her home, which was two minutes away.
The ambulance that Sgt Wee called for met Nurshafira at her home.
Norazmi, now a national silat coach, was a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officer for 30 years, and was part of its Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team and Special Response Unit.
He said: "At SCDF, I saw people being trapped under vehicles and dying in front of me.
"I witnessed many accidents and saw a lot of blood. But I never expected my daughter to be in a situation like that."
Nurshafira said she hopes no child experiences what she went through and wants people to be aware of road safety. She has reminded her friends to look in all directions before crossing.
She added: "To the drivers out there, think about people crossing the road. Imagine they are your family members and loved ones."
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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
