Accidents not due to damaged roads, but indiscipline, reckless driving: MHA

BAGAN SERAI: Accidents which occur on all highways in the country, especially during the school holidays, are not caused by road damage, but due to indiscipline and reckless driving.
Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) chairman Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said it had taken various initiatives to reduce accidents and traffic congestion during the peak school holiday period, including closing down cash lanes at tolls and not allowing heavy vehicles to use highways.
"However, accidents still occur due to indiscipline and recklessness. Some motorists drive under the influence of drugs, which is among the main factors of fatal accidents in recent years," he told reporters after a circumcision programme for 30 children from Semanggol state constituency at Dewan Kampung Padang Lalang, here, today.
Noor Azmi was commenting on the accident yesterday involving an express bus, a trailer and a container lorry at KM294.7 northbound of the North-South Expressway (PLUS) near Kampar yesterday, causing the death of a woman, while the bus driver and 12 other passengers sustained injuries.
He added that demerit system for vehicle licence owners should be enforced by the authorities to ensure drivers practised careful and safe driving. — Bernama