Be it for cultural, social, or religious obligation, rakyat loves "balik kampung” during any festival or long holiday. Highway traffic gets momentum and becomes busier.
Sadly, the festive mood ends for many on the road meeting unexpected road accidents. The unexpected increase in road accidents during festive seasons obliges the police to conduct special road safety operations, "Ops Sikap” (Operation Attitude).
Since 2001, Ops Sikap has been in force in collaboration with the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defense Department, Health Ministry, St John Ambulance Malaysia, Road Transport Department, the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board and the National Anti-Drug Agency.
Sadly, road accidents are common on a regular day.
Every 80 minutes a life is lost on the road due to an accident somewhere in Malaysia - counting 6,000 deaths a year on average.
Malaysian roads observed 7,152 deaths on road in 2016 - the highest in the last nine years. With a reasonable decrease of 6,284 deaths in 2018, an average of 4500 deaths during the period of movement control order (2020-2021) is totally unexpected.
Almost 70 per cent of them are young motorcyclists aged between 16 and 30. If the increasing trend continues, 80 per cent of road accidents will involve motorcycles and pillion riders by 2030.
It will not be unreasonable to blame risky driving behavior or a lack of experience of young riders for this unusually high rate of road accidents in Malaysia. Neither blaming the risky driving behavior nor enforcing a special Ops Sikap would suffice to curb deaths on the road.
The International Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA), Universiti Malaya recently organised a Round Table Discussion where Karisma Putera Rhman Dahlan from Bait al Amanah and Yusof Ghani from Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) addressed the issue of Driver's accountability on Malaysian roads and highways.
The discussants from police, PDRM, Malaysian Highway Authority, Miros, and Bait al Amanah in the round table discussion emphasised certain measures for relevant policymakers.
Introducing more dedicated lanes for motorcyclists
Introducing more dedicated lanes for motorcyclists in high-risk routes is inevitable. At the same time, existing lanes need to be brought under monitoring to prevent its use as a hiding place for robbers and snatchers to prey on road riders.
Limit motorcycle access on certain roads
To reduce motorcycle accidents on highways by colluding with high-speed vehicles, a measure to limit motorcycle access to high-speed lanes on highways could be considered by the roads and highways policymakers.
Introducing a more rigorous licensing requirement
The rigor of driving competency tests goes with a decreased rate of road accidents. For example, 100 hours of test driving is mandatory in certain countries where rates of road accidents are significantly minimal. Whereas a 20 hours of test drive is sufficient to obtain a license in Malaysia.
Hence, a more comprehensive driving competency test including a longer test drive and response test to potential hazards must be included - suggested by the representative from Bait al Amanah.
Introducing road safety education program
Sharing his childhood memories, Datuk Dr Anis Yusal Yusof, Executive Director of INPUMA during the round table reminded the importance of road safety education from childhood. Children during his time have had the pleasure to enjoy "Traffic Game” at "Traffic Park” in Penang.
Building such a park around the country and other educational means would allow children and the young generation to learn proper driving attitudes.
Stop waiver of traffic summons
Waiver of traffic summons for speeding or illegal parking is announced by the government. That kind gesture to the rakyat is rather taken as a privilege and is counterproductive for them to behave on the road.
Hence, the government might want to consider the option not to waive any traffic summons but rather make it stricter - suggested the police representatives. The police representative also suggested introducing higher summons for the higher income group so that summons make a significant impact on them.
There is no doubt that certain measures might put the Government on a politically challenging ground. Yet life is more important than a populist action or policy.
A road accident is not just an accident - it costs a life that is equivalent to a loss of RM3.14 million according to an analysis of Miros.
Overall, the combination of improving driving competency tests, strict safety policies, effective education, motorcycle-friendly infrastructure, and effective summons for traffic offenders have great potential to reduce the rate of deaths and injuries on Malaysian roads.
May the traffic policies and practices improve the driver’s accountability and make Malaysian highways the safest in the world.
Professor Dr Mohammad Tariqur Rahman Deputy Executive Director International Institute of Public Policy & Management (INPUMA) Universiti Malaya. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of Sinar Daily.