Human behaviour contributes to increase in number of motorcycle accidents: Miros

PUTRAJAYA: Human behaviour and breaking traffic rules are among the factors contributing to the increase in the number of accidents involving motorcyclists.
According to acting director-general of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research Dr Siti Zaharah Ishak, among the offences frequently committed by motorcyclists were exceeding the speed limit, riding in between other vehicles and beating red lights.
She said this attitude contributed to death statistics among motorcyclists reaching 64.5%, higher than other vehicles involved in road accidents last year.
"Statistics from the Royal Malaysia Police last year also showed the rate of deaths caused by road accidents to be still high as in previous years, with 6,740 deaths.
"Even though there has been a drop in the index by 9.65% compared to 2016, preventive measures must be increased so that the rate of deaths from road accidents including involving motorcylists can be reduced," she said at a Blind Spot Technology (BST) Development Test by the New Car Assessment Programme for Southeast Asian Countries (Asean NCAP), here today.
Also present was chairman of Asean NCAP Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon.
Siti Zaharah said among the initiatives being implemented were the development of Blind Spot Technology by Asean NCAP, which among other things could reduce human error and constraints in detecting motorists switching lanes on the roads.
Meanwhile, Wong said the development of BST was important as studies showed that motorcycle accidents were usually between cars and motorcycles when the car driver enters the lane of the motorcyclist, and usually occurred at junctions and roundabouts, while switching lanes and while making U-turns. — Bernama