More efforts needed to reduce Malaysia’s fatal road accidents

PETALING JAYA – Heavy vehicle owners say that naming and shaming companies with overdue traffic summonses may encou­rage company owners to toe the line, but it is not a fix-it-all solution for reducing fatal accidents.

Company owners, particularly lorry operators, also point out that while they strive to uphold road safety, the government should explore additional ways to promote civic-mindedness among drivers.

They were responding to Trans­port Minister Anthony Loke’s reve­lation yesterday that 11 companies operating goods vehicles have accumulated more than 1,000 overdue traffic summonses.

Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Lorry Owners Association secre­ta­ry-general Alvin Choong said the minister’s expose will prompt lorry operators to settle their sum­monses and comply with the law.

“Companies will toe the line, as they are responsible for the misconduct of their drivers.

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“This is stipulated in the transport ordinance Land Public Transport Act 2010 (Apad) Act.

“The summons should not be discounted, as that would then defeat the very purpose (of naming and shaming),” said Choong when contacted.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali said that while some technical offences – such as faulty brakes, worn-out tyres or vehicles operating without insurance – are clearly the res­ponsibility of the company, many traffic-related offences, especially those involving express buses, are the fault of individual drivers rather than the opera­tors.

“As operators, we can train, advise and guide our drivers, but once they are on the road, it’s out of our hands.

“If they break the law and the company reprimands the drivers, they just leave for another company,” he said.

Mohamad Ashfar said express bus companies often receive ­summonses for speeding and other violations committed by their drivers, despite taking all possible preventative measures.

“A comprehensive driver card system can track driver movements between companies and ensure that any malpractice is monitored.

“These proposals have been on the table for over 10 years.

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“If the ministry is serious about reducing accidents, they must introduce a proper system to track, monitor and regulate drivers. Only then will we see lasting change,” he said.

Mohamad Ashfar added that the government should also consider extending the allocation of 1,000 free training slots for B40 individuals seeking to obtain an E-class driving licence.

“We are facing a shortfall of at least 5,000 drivers annually across the transport sector, from buses to lorries, charter services and factory and school buses.

“We have appealed to the Human Resources Ministry for support but received no response.

“These three measures – free trai­ning for aspiring drivers, the introduction of a driver card and a comprehensive data registry – must go hand in hand.

“That’s the only way we’ll see drivers slow down and accidents go down,” he added.

Another lorry operator said there is no point in introducing new ideas and laws to curb heavy vehicle companies and drivers if there is no enforcement on the ground.

“If your enforcement is no good and there are loopholes, that would defeat the very purpose of having such ideas and laws in the first place.

“Road safety is the responsibility of all stakeholders, including the government. It takes two to tango, and when one fails in its part, that is when the safety issues occur,” said the lorry operator, who declined to be named.

Meanwhile, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Trucking Association president Datuk Wong Kean Ki said that forcing the payment of traffic summonses is not the solution to the issue of reckless drivers, as there are other factors that have to be addressed.

“For lorry drivers, the summonses are issued on the road to the reckless drivers, who will then throw them away.

“We will only come to know of the mass of summons accumulated when we are renewing the road tax. By then, the reckless lorry driver may have left the company.

“We try our best in disciplining our drivers and filtering them before they are hired. However, we still end up getting these reckless drivers. To be a lorry driver, they must have proper licences and we only have a limited pool to choose from.

“While naming and shaming heavy vehicle companies with accumulated traffic summonses may be the minister’s way, for us it just means we have to quickly find ways to pay them.

“And to pay these summonses, we have to operate our lorries. To operate our lorries, we need ­drivers.

“Putting the brakes on our lorries will mean there is no income, which means we would not be able to pay the summonses.

“In the end, no one wins. As it is, the economic situation is dismal. It’s a terrible cycle of factors and issues which cannot be solved by merely naming and shaming hea­vy vehicle operators,” said Wong.

Malaysia Trucking Federation (MTF) president Datuk Ng Koong Sinn said that a more wholesome approach must be taken to handle recklessness on the roads.

“It must begin in schools. Even lorry drivers would have to go through our education system when they are young.

“Our education system must inculcate road safety and civic-mindedness in their lessons. Only then can we address the issues of road bullying and reckless driving, as people have to be trained from young to be civic- minded,” said Ng.