18 killed every day in traffic accidents
Category: Publication - The Star
BENTONG: Almost every minute, there is a traffic accident in Malaysia with about 18 people killed daily.
Road fatality and accident rates recorded a slight increase last year and the Transport Minister is not taking this lightly.
“The figure is alarming. Efforts to save lives from traffic disasters must be stepped up at once,” said Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
Statistics showed that 6,706 lives were lost in about 489,600 road accidents last year. This is 32 deaths more than the figure recorded in 2014.
“Although campaign after campaign has been conducted, the accident and fatality rates are still going up,” he said at a road safety campaign at Genting Sempah rest and service area near here yesterday.
Liow said part of the ministry’s key performance index was to reduce road accident rates by 10% per year but this could not be achieved yet.
He was, however, quite relieved that the death rate per 10,000 registered vehicles was lowered from four people to 2.55 last year.
“We are still working very hard to further reduce the ratio,” he added.
Liow said a Road Safety Council would be set up at the district level to better engage the people on this issue.
“Road safety is a national issue. It needs the participation of all as it involves everyone including the public,” he added.
Liow said that the road safety curriculum for primary school pupils was being reviewed and would be improved to ensure its effectiveness in educating children about road safety.
He said other measures had also been taken to improve road safety, which included the use of closed-circuit cameras to nab errant drivers and the reviewing of the Demerit Points System (Kejara).
Yesterday’s event was held in conjunction with the Lunar New Year celebration to remind road users to adhere to road etiquette and traffic rules.
Liow also reminded those who would be travelling home this festive season to drive carefully in view of the increased number of vehicles on the road.
He said the average rate of deaths during Ops Selamat last year was recorded at 13.3 people daily during the Lunar New Year period and 19 people per day during the Hari Raya period.
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