Dangers beyond terrorism

Suffering through one of Algiers trademark traffic jams on a recent night, I was horrified to see a boy no older than maybe 5 leaning way out the passenger-side back window holding up a toy into the adjacent lane of cars.

This city has endured decades of war and terrorism but there are bigger, if more mundane dangers afoot for children. Car seats obviously are not required, but you will see people driving with small children in their laps or multiple little kids leaping up and down in the back seat or between the front and back.

And when they are out of the car, they are in the street. IN it, not alongside or darting in and out. They are squatting or kicking soccer balls in the same space as speeding cars. We've dashed past kids who cannot be more than 3 or 4 in the street with maybe a sibling but no visible adult nearby. I just hold my breath when driving.

Lamia, our office manager, says no it's not my smug American sensibilities, it bothers her too. But if you say anything to a parent, even in a nice way or as a warning, you'll get your head handed to you, she warned.

Playing in the streets is something kids here must get from the adults around them. In alleys that seem barely big enough for carriages you'll have a row of parked cars on one side, old men squatting against a wall on the other, a clot of women in robes and scarves chatting alongside the parked cars, workers unloading a double parked car or putting up a ladder against a building and then the kids playing soccer or running in the streets. They could take video of driving through this city and use them for driver safety classes.