PETALING JAYA: Road safety experts are alarmed by the number of road crashes and fatalities in Malaysia, especially those involving motorcyclists, who accounted for 88 deaths out of 141 during Ops Selamat 18 recently.
Universiti Putra Malaysia Road Safety Research Centre head Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua said there was no reason to blame the highways, that are among the best in the world, as the issue is not about road structure but people’s attitude.
Law, who said road safety issues were sparked by poor road user attitude and behaviour, told theSun motorcycles were the most dangerous mode of travel compared with other types, including cars and buses.
“Our road and highway designs adhere to British standards, making them ideal for car use but more appropriate and efficient traffic management is required to reduce vehicle conflict, particularly among vulnerable and less vulnerable vehicles.
“Motorcycles are more manoeuvrable than cars. This is due to the size and power of the motorcycle engine. Car drivers have a harder time detecting them on the road, which would increase the crash risk.
“Also, motorcycles account for about half of the vehicles that are not suitable for use on Malaysian roads. Failure to separate motorcycles from other vehicles will not reduce the risk of a crash, particularly for motorcycles,” he said.
He added that a spike in road collisions reported in Ops Selamat 18 statistics, totalling 135 accidents and 141 deaths, was due to a significant increase in traffic over the five-day holiday period.
In this regard, he said ordinary enforcement methods would be ineffective in addressing road safety issues, especially during the holiday season.
He said stricter traffic rules should be implemented to prevent the collision and death rate from rising.
“The use of intelligent systems and tools would aid in this endeavour.
“For example, drone-assisted use of Geographical Information Systems and Big Data can aid in traffic movement tracking and incident detection.
“Stricter traffic penalty payment methods are required, including payment rates.
“This includes the amount of fine and the penalties for not paying it (without discounts),” he added.
Meanwhile, Alliance for Safe Community deputy chairman Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon said motorcyclists need to be physically and mentally fit to handle their bikes.
He emphasised that there is no problem with setting the minimum age at 16 for obtaining a motorcycle licence, as long as proper guidance is provided to consider social responsibility.
“Sixteen years as the age to start riding a motorcycle has been in practice for so many years.
“In my opinion, starting to ride a motorcycle at the age of 16 is not a problem as long as there is proper guidance,” he said.
“You need to reach a certain height and strength of the body to manage a motorcycle. For instance, when you sit on the motorcycle and you can’t even reach the brake pedal, you’re not fit to ride it.
“At the same time, you should be mentally prepared to handle a motorcycle. Your ability to take responsibility is also important because any action that you take on the road is not only going to affect you but also other innocent road users.
“(This goes) not only for teenage riders but others also need to be mentally and physically prepared to manage a motorcycle as it is the most dangerous mode of transport compared with any other vehicle, not only in Malaysia but anywhere in the world.”
