PETALING JAYA: The authorities should come down hard on errant motorists who disregard traffic summonses.
Road safety expert Prof Dr Law Teik Hua (pix) said suspending their licences after expiry of a grace period was the best way to encourage offenders to pay their summonses.
According to police, only about a quarter of offenders had paid their fines as of the end of last year.
Law, who is head of the Universiti Putra Malaysia Road Safety Research Centre, said police should be strict in their enforcement, and urged them to work with the Road Transport Department (RTD) to implement the proposal.
“I understand they are already collaborating with RTD in some areas. But at the moment, enforcement is not that stringent. Maybe they are worried about backlash from the people, so they are a bit reluctant (to suspend licences).
“But I think this is the most efficient method, and I am sure we will be able to see the effect within a short period,” Law told theSun.
He said the suspension should be done regardless of the nature of the offence, and expressed hope that Transport Minister Anthony Loke would be agreeable to the suggestion.
“When you commit an offence, it means you are causing a nuisance to others. There is no such thing as a small or big offence. An offence is an offence and they should all be treated the same,” he said.
Federal Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director DCP Datuk Azisman Alias had recently said police were looking for solutions to the huge number of unpaid traffic summonses.
He had also questioned Loke’s suggestion for the police to abolish discounts for traffic fines, saying there were too many unpaid summonses and police would otherwise never be able to collect revenue for the government.
Law said enforcement was meant to ensure safety on the road and not to collect money.
He added that discounts should be stopped as it was unfair to those who pay the full amount within the time frame, and that if continued, offenders would always wait for discounts before making payments.
On why traffic offences are continuously committed, Law said it could be due to a lack of enforcement resources, and suggested the government implement a more intelligent system.
“An example is the Automated Enforcement System. The problem is there are not enough cameras. People will just slow down when they see one and speed up again later. We need more cameras.”
