KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- Motorcyclists and pillion riders, who account for about 66 per cent of the nation's road fatalities, must be placed at the centre of Malaysia's road safety strategy, said Road Safety Council member Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
He said they should be given a dedicated national action plan covering safer motorcycle lanes, better road surfaces, improved lighting, stronger enforcement against dangerous riding and greater emphasis on defensive riding and protective equipment.
Lee also called for traffic enforcement to be more consistent, targeted and technology-driven, particularly at accident-prone locations.
“Dangerous driving, speeding, red-light offences, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and reckless manoeuvres must be dealt with firmly,” he said in a statement to Bernama today.
He said the government's target, set through the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Traffic Congestion, to reduce road fatalities by 50 per cent by 2030 must be translated into a comprehensive, measurable and sustained national road safety programme.
Advocating a Safe System approach, Lee said roads, vehicles, speed limits and traffic systems must be designed to reduce the severity of crashes when human errors occur, while high-risk roads and black spots should be identified through data and systematically upgraded.
Lee also called for lifelong road safety education, beginning in schools and continuing through driving schools, workplaces and community programmes, while urging employers to implement safe-commuting policies given the number of crashes involving people travelling to and from work.
He said stricter enforcement was also needed for commercial and heavy vehicles, particularly on speed limits, vehicle roadworthiness, driver working hours and other safety requirements.
“Post-crash response must be strengthened. Faster emergency response, greater public awareness of first aid and CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and wider availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) can help save lives,” he said.
Lee said the government should establish clear annual milestones towards the 2030 target so the public can track whether fatalities are declining, which groups remain most vulnerable, where high-risk locations are and what corrective measures have been taken.
He said road safety performance should also be measured by serious injuries, crashes involving vulnerable road users and the effectiveness of enforcement and preventive measures, rather than deaths alone.
“Six thousand road deaths a year is not just a statistic. Behind every number is a human life, a family and a community affected by tragedy,” he said, stressing that Malaysia must move from a reactive approach to a preventive road safety culture that anticipates risks and prevents deaths before they occur.
-- BERNAMA