THE law on drink-driving that provides a jail sentence and hefty fines for drivers who cause fatal road crashes while under the influence of alcohol is expected to be passed during the current Parliament meeting.
Last year, Parliament also passed a law on mandatory use of child safety seat in motor vehicles. The preventive action taken via these legislations is commendable as at the very least, the causes of road deaths from these two sources are addressed.
But why are preventive laws to curb our notoriously high and horrific death toll among motorcyclists and pillion riders still not seeing the light of day? Let alone making its way to Parliament.
It is here that the powers that be especially the two key ministries of Transport and Works should get their act together and set the priorities right on where it matters most.
As regularly highlighted in this column, the bulk of those killed on our roads are motorcycles-related and yet there’s too much feet-dragging and inaction or none at all in terms of curbing these highly preventable and futile deaths whose victims are mostly our youth.
Hardly any minister, motivational speaker, religious preacher or non-governmental organisation has raised any concern or bothered to speak out on the two-wheelers who by the thousands meet their untimely deaths year in year out.
Just compare this situation to say just 20 people succumbing to an infectious disease, the entire country will be up in arms or place on red alert to contain the spread.
A death by whatever cause is a death and there shouldn’t be double standard in the way we attempt to address the issue.
And where the death statistics are too high and way, way above that related to drink-driving or child safety seats – as in the case of motorcycling – then common sense dictates that top priority must be given to this.
But not all is lost, though at certain times I thought of giving up writing time and again on the urgent need to put in place the necessities for safer motorcycling as riders are the most vulnerable fatal crash victims.
Some readers of this column might also be bored with me touching on the same topic.
I’m indeed thoroughly heartened by what I heard lately from sources close to the corridors of power that something is in the works. Or simply put, work in progress.
I understand that the relevant ministries have accepted as a policy to implement motorcycle lanes for federal roads under the 12th Malaysia Plan due to kick in next year.
According to research findings, this move is expected save 2,000 lives a year upon completion in five years.
Just imagine within five years, some 10,000 lives, mainly from those in their most productive years, are saved! And this from federal roads alone.
While the plan is targeted at federal roads, it should also extend to state roads as well because fatal motorcycle crashes occur everywhere irrespective of road categories.
In this regard, state governments, too, should allocate their budget to roll out such designated motorcycle lanes that definitely will lead to safer motorcycling compared with with what I would call the “Malaysia Boleh” culture of weaving in and out of cars and other heavy vehicles on the fast lanes. And speeding at that.
For states that cannot perhaps afford to implement this on their own, they can seek some grants from the Ministry of Finance.
With such lanes in existence across the nation, the most crucial is putting an end once and for all for motorcyclists to ride at whatever speed limit they fancy all this while.
I understand, too, that on these lanes and paved road shoulders, the maximum speed limit to be set by the authorities is 70kph.
If this happens, coupled with the special lanes, I must say without hesitation that this is the best news coming our way since the day I was born.
Whatever the amount of money to be spent on trying to create safer motorcycle riding is pittance compared to the thousands of lives saved.
We are not even talking about the savings in financial and social terms here as they are even greater and incalculable.
Some critics tend to put the blame on enforcement weaknesses for this road carnage.
I do not agree.
With some 15 million motorcycles on our roads, how on earth can enforcement be as effective as we would like it to be when, to begin with, along most of our road and highways, there are no motorcycle lanes and safer or lower speed limit imposed.
Let’s roll off these lanes first and a law on lower speed limit, then only enforcement can be more effective as slowly but surely, the psychology of compliance will kick in.
Similarly, we can now hardly see people smoking in restaurants and other eateries after the anti-smoking law was enforced last year.
And likewise, during the current coronavirus scare, the compliance of wearing face masks is extremely high.
Everything possible must be done and with utmost priority to stop what some would like to describe as these “self-inflicted” road deaths.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
