16 dead in a week sparks alarm over Malaysia’s road safety crisis

16 dead in a week sparks alarm over Malaysia’s road safety crisis

KUALA LUMPUR: A string of fatal road accidents claiming at least 16 lives in just over a week has prompted renewed calls for Malaysia to tackle deeper road safety issues beyond individual accidents.

Road safety and criminology experts said while investigations into each crash must proceed independently, the recent spate of fatalities highlights long-standing concerns involving speeding, risky driving behaviour, inadequate hazard perception and a road system that remains vulnerable to human error.

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) chairman Professor Dr Wong Shaw Voon said motorists must recognise that vehicles are powerful machines capable of causing immense harm when misused.

“Whether we ride motorcycles or drive cars, we all share responsibility for road safety. Every day, we use the roads and every mistake has consequences.

“Sometimes it is not only the driver who suffers. Innocent road users end up paying the price for someone else’s actions,” he told the New Straits Times.

DISYORKAN UNTUK ANDA :

Hormati Perbezaan … Kerjasama Kerajaan Perpaduan Tidak Jejas Prinsip Parti – Mohd Rafi

The latest concern follows three major fatal crashes in recent days: the June 1 pile-up in Kluang that killed four members of a family and another driver; the June 3 crash in Serian, Sarawak, that claimed five lives from the same family; and Sunday’s tragedy in Kedah that left six people dead.

Universiti Putra Malaysia Road Safety Research Centre head Associate Professor Dr Law Teik Hua said the spate of deadly crashes within a short period should not be dismissed as coincidences.

“When multiple fatal crashes occur close together, the question is whether they reveal persistent exposure to known risk factors such as speeding, unsafe overtaking, fatigue, distraction and weak protection against human error.

“In Malaysia’s context, repeated occurrence of high-severity crashes suggests the issue is less about isolated events and more about a road system that remains vulnerable to human error,” he said.

Criminologist Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy described road fatalities as preventable events rather than unavoidable accidents.

“When serious crashes repeatedly involve speeding, reckless driving, fatigue or poor risk assessment, it indicates underlying weaknesses in compliance, enforcement and road safety culture.”

DISYORKAN UNTUK ANDA :

Semangat Perjuangan BN Terus Menyala Dengan Satu Hati, Satu Matlamat – Fuad Tukirin

Sundramoorthy said there was growing concern that a small group of younger drivers appeared attracted to speeding, illegal racing and social media-driven displays of dangerous driving behaviour.

He attributed such conduct to a combination of sensation-seeking, peer influence, status competition and perceived invulnerability.

However, Law cautioned against stereotyping all young motorists, saying risky behaviour was often concentrated within a relatively small sub-group rather than an entire generation.

Meanwhile, Wong said technological advancements such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (Adas) can help reduce crash risks but should never be viewed as a substitute for responsible driving.

Systems such as autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and lane keeping assistance are designed to support drivers, correct unsafe habits and reduce crash severity.

“Adas is there to help, but we should not take it for granted. These systems are designed to make driving safer, not to encourage drivers to push beyond their limits.”

Wong warned that some motorists might become overly reliant on safety technologies and drive faster as a result.

“Everything has design limits. If you exceed those limits, particularly through speeding, the technology may no longer be able to help. Obey the traffic laws, especially the speed limits,” he added.