Big scale 'commercial ops' underway to halt truck crash, say cops
SHAH ALAM - A big scale 'commercial ops' has been carried out by cops to reduce accidents involving lorries and trailers, according to Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department (TEID).
Federal police TEID director Datuk Seri Mat Kasim Karim said in 2020, a total of 135 fatal accidents were recorded that involved lorry accidents.
In 2021, 122 fatalities were recorded while the number increased to 141 in 2022.
To address the issue, Mat Kassim said the police had collaborated with other law enforcement agencies.
The department carried out 547 operations in 2020, 730 operations in 2021 and 797 checks from January to October 2022.
Some of the operations were carried out with other agencies such as the Road Transport Department (RTD), the Environment Department and vehicle inspection specialist Puspakom under "Special Commercial Ops".
The department had issued 174,459 summonses in 2020, 196,903 (2021) and 163,105 (Jan-Oct 2022), said Mat Kasim.
Last year, several accidents involving lorries and trailers which claimed many lives shocked the nation.
In March, a trailer lorry driver was arrested in connection with a fiery accident killing five students on the North-South Expressway northbound at midnight on Wednesday has nine offences in RTD's records with eight “settled” and another still active.
RTD had said the results from its mySIKAP system database found that the record of offences with 12 demerit points under the Demerit Points System for Traffic Offences (Kejara) could affect the suspension or revocation of a driving licence.
In November, a trailer lorry driver lost control of his vehicle on the North-South Expressway, crashing it through the guardrail and ploughing into oncoming vehicles.
The 43-year-old driver was flung out when his lorry smashed into another trailer lorry, three cars and a motorcycle coming in the opposite direction at km280 near Nilai at 11.35am.
The driver died at the scene while several others were hurt.
In August, a trailer fell off a flyover and crashed about 10m onto the busy Jalan Kuala Kangsar. No other vehicles were involved in the 12.28pm incident and the driver of the lorry sustained only minor injuries.
Acting Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris said police believed that brake failure caused the lorry to skid, leading to it plunging off the flyover.
Aside from fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles, illegal use of emergency lanes which could lead to accident had also been worrying in the country.
Over the past two years, more than 13,880 summonses were issued for illegal usage of emergency lanes.
