PETALING JAYA: Highway safety remains a pressing concern in Malaysia, particularly for motorcyclists, who account for 70 out of every 100 road fatalities annually.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Research Institute for Sustainable Environment director Prof Ts Dr Muhammad Zaly Shah Muhammad Hussein told theSun that between 2019 and 2023, there were 829 motorcycle crashes on three major highways, all with dedicated motorcycle lanes namely the Federal Highway, Kesas Expressway (Shah Alam Expressway) and the Guthrie Corridor Expressway.
“Road traffic crashes remain the leading cause of accident deaths in Malaysia, claiming over 6,500 lives annually.
“Existing safety measures such as speed cameras and rumble strips have significantly reduced crashes. However, enforcement inconsistencies and road design limitations continue to contribute to motorcycle-related fatalities,” said Muhammad Zaly, who is also Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Malaysia president.
He was referring to a road crash on Feb 18 where a 29-year-old nurse Nurul Ilham Nordin lost her life on the Kajang-Silk Highway.
She crashed her motorcycle into a lorry that was parked on the emergency lane, and subsequently was ran over by two other vehicles.
Muhammad Zaly said under Rule 53(1) of the Road Traffic Rules 1959, emergency lanes are strictly reserved for genuine emergencies such as breakdowns or accidents.
He said Malaysia’s Road Safety Plan (2022–2030) aims to reduce road fatalities by half through infrastructure improvements and stronger enforcement.
“One key initiative is the expansion of dedicated motorcycle lanes on state and federal roads to separate motorcycles from larger vehicles, minimising the risks of air drift and collisions. However, maintenance and enforcement challenges remain a concern,” he said.
To further enhance road safety, the Malaysian Highway Authority has announced an expansion of restrictions on heavy vehicles entering selected Klang Valley highways during peak hours, effective Feb 19 this year.
Heavy vehicles will be banned from these highways on weekdays between 6.30am and 9.30am and 4.30pm and 7.30pm to reduce congestion and improve safety.
Exemptions will be granted for emergency and enforcement services, cleaning and waste disposal, and highway maintenance.
Muhammad Zaly suggested extending these restrictions to all major city highways, particularly those with high motorcycle traffic, to further enhance road safety.
Meanwhile, Universiti Putra Malaysia Head of the Road Safety Research Centre assoc prof Dr Law Teik Hua said poor visibility, especially at night or in bad weather, further increases the dangers for motorcyclists.
“Staying in main lanes is generally safer if motorcyclists maintain safe speeds, avoid blind spots, and use proper signalling.”
Law emphasised that strict enforcement measures are necessary to address these risks, including the use of automated cameras and increased patrols to penalise illegal parking and non-emergency use.
“Motorcyclists face multiple dangers on highways, including speed disparities with larger vehicles, lane splitting, poor visibility, and road hazards such as potholes and oil spills.
“To mitigate these risks, it is crucial to wear helmets, reflective jackets, and protective gear, as well as avoid vehicle blind spots, use headlights during the day, maintain a safe following distance, and undergo advanced rider training programmes.”
He said while motorcycles are banned from some expressways, such as at the PLUS highway, enforcement remains weak.
“Stricter measures such as mandatory safety gear checks, dedicated motorcycle lanes, and speed harmonisation are needed to ensure the safety of all road users,” he said.
Law recommended expanding dedicated motorcycle lanes, citing Brazil’s “blue lane” model, which has resulted in a 40% reduction in motorcycle fatalities.
He also suggested additional measures such as installing barriers to prevent unauthorised use of emergency lanes, introducing AI surveillance to detect and penalise illegal parking, and launching public education campaigns to raise awareness about risks of reckless riding, and stopping on highways.
Due to their speed and size mismatches with other vehicles, motorcycles face inherent risks on expressways.
Law emphasised that emergency lanes should remain strictly for emergencies and not be used as alternative routes for motorcycles.
