YOURSAY | 'Investigations after investigations but road tragedies still occur.'
Loke orders probe into deadly three-vehicle crash in Ayer Keroh
Santa coming to Malaysia: After every major fatal road accident, there will be a cry for investigation.
After the reports are published, the sitting transport minister will say that action will be taken. But rest assured, within months, we will all forget everything.
Alliance for a Safe Community chairperson Lee Lam Thye has led many investigations and chaired many reports, but what happened after that?
Was any serious action taken?
Transport Minister Anthony Loke, I hope you can be better than the rest before you. Seriously, we can do better than this.
For a start, ban small motorbikes on major expressways and disallow big biker convoys. The Road Transport Department also needs cleaning up.
YellowGecko9040: Every single time a tragedy takes place, there will be a probe.
Some findings will be as expected and eventually, they will be announced to the public with “corrective” actions.
But the same thing keeps happening again and again. One must ask, why?
If anyone remembers watching the 1990s movie titled “Indian” (starring Kamal Hassan), it highlighted how lax safety protocols were taken and how decrepit vehicles were given their respective permits and licenses with just a few hundred rupees.
Fast forward to today, Malaysia’s licensing bodies are likely facing the same problem because of poor attitude and compromise on both sides of the parties, leading to possibly illegally licensed vehicles on the road with poor enforcement (or lack of), thus leading to these fatal incidents.
Things won’t change, no matter who the transport minister is.
Alamak Negaraku: An old tape being played every time a major accident occurs.
Our drivers are getting more “kurang ajar” (ill-mannered) and the people supposed to hold the big cane never really do their job.
There may be some sort of enquiry, commission, and maybe a tour to a foreign country in the name of a study trip. After that, everything will go silent.
There is a lack of enforcement. Who is scared of traffic summons? When you get it, just wait for a big event that will offer great discounts.
This law has become a joke. Why not just knock on these traffic offenders now and then at midnight? Only then will they take it seriously.
After another week, the frenzy around this unnecessary tragedy will cool off until the next tragedy.
Stand For Truth: As a driver of 46 years, it is sad to see the decline of safety-conscious drivers, but regretfully the increase in impatient (cutting queues via the emergency lane) inconsiderate (lack of common courtesy) and almost insane drivers (tailgating in a convoy at high speed); overtaking at double lines and blind corners.
What new and old drivers need to be taught is to:
Value and appreciate life - theirs and other road users.
Drive safely before speeding fast. What is most important is reaching our destination safely.
For public transport drivers; a random check at all major terminals by RTD and Health Ministry staff for drug consumption.
Buses and lorries are roadworthy.
The above are some radical changes that must take place, otherwise tragic accidents will unnecessarily happen over and over again on our roads.
Puspakom check is a farce and joke. Everyone knows runners will change tyres before the inspection to get vehicles certified.
Our condolences to the families of the victims.
Anonymous_3f4b: Probes and more probes. Investigations and more investigations.
Yet accidents continue to happen, with more vehicles on the road and causing even more damage, injuries and death.
Other than the poor road conditions, alignment, vehicle type, weather, poor or non-enforcement, lighting, speeding, defensive approach and careless driving, the attitude of the drivers is the main cause. Malaysian drivers are the worst in the world.
MarioT: Heavy vehicles have been known to be defective and endangering the lives of other road users.
These vehicles have a high degree of wear and tear and should go through stringent checks frequently.
Tyres detaching themselves from the trailer is an indication of worn-out parts of the trailer being overloaded or the vehicle being old and road worthiness under suspicion.
Let this be a bitter lesson for stricter control of heavy vehicles that ply our roads.
BlueShark1548: Loke should release statistics on heavy vehicle accidents and announce what steps his ministry has taken to protect the public.
Investigations and fines are no consolation to those who died or suffered serious injuries from such accidents.
Every heavy vehicle must install a webcam and a speed recorder so that, after the end of the driver's trip, it can be reviewed.
Outlier: No need to investigate. Everyone has known for a long time that most trucks and trailers plying the roads are not roadworthy and polluting.
Their lobbying cartel must be so strong that no transport minister has been able to do anything about it.
There is a very simple solution as far as the North-South Highway is concerned.
No trucks, trailers, buses and tour buses on the North-South Highway between 7pm and 7am and on national public holidays.
All the accidents that happen on the highway are always between 9pm and 6am.
Cogito Ergo Sum: Loke, will anything come out of this investigation? The insurance companies will do a very good independent investigation. Can your Transport Ministry do a transparent and fair probe?
WhiteWalrus5410: Terminate the business permit of the transport companies if found negligent in maintaining their fleet or employing drivers with numerous summonses or on drug or alcohol-related offences. Harsh punishment is needed.
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