Overloaded, poorly maintained heavy vehicles contribute to rising accidents

SHAH ALAM - Heavy vehicles such as trailers, lorries, and buses that exceed their load limits and are not regularly maintained are a contributing factor to the rising number of accidents in the country.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Road Safety Research Centre head Associate Professor Dr Law Teik Hua said that some heavy vehicle drivers overload their vehicles to earn more, especially since the country is just recovering from Covid-19.

He also said that some drivers do not look into maintaining their vehicles, which can lead to brake failures and other problems.

"It's true, I acknowledge that overloaded vehicles and faulty or malfunctioning brakes are the causes of the increased accident cases that have claimed the lives of other road users.

"I understand that some of them intentionally allow their loads to exceed the limits because they want to earn more to make a living, especially since the country has just recovered from Covid-19, and they do not want to spend money only on maintaining their vehicles.

"Therefore, when accidents occur, these heavy vehicles require a long distance and time to come to a stop, but due to their lack of maintenance, they contribute to collisions that also involve the lives of other drivers," he told Sinar yesterday.

He was responding to an incident where a trailer lorry carrying a load of concrete blocks crashed into 11 stationary vehicles in Putrajaya yesterday, resulting in two fatalities.

Meanwhile, Teik Hua hopes that the Road Transport Department (JPJ) will enhance enforcement efforts, particularly for heavy vehicle drivers who exceed their load capacity.

He also suggested that the relevant authorities provide an official complaint channel for road users to report the behavior of heavy vehicle drivers who prioritise their own interests and endanger the safety of others.

"The agency should find initiatives to detect vehicles that exceed their load limits or do not undergo regular maintenance and establish an easy official complaint channel for road users to report the behaviour of heavy vehicle drivers.

"To solve this problem in the long term, the most effective approach is fines, as irresponsible drivers will think twice when it involves money.

"For example, when JPJ imposes a fine of RM300 for every kilogramme of excess load, these heavy vehicle drivers will become cautious. The fine should depend on the percentage of excess weight," he added.