Beyond the human cost, there is a financial price to pay for road accidents, to the tune of RM9.2 billion last year, according to transport minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai. Based upon the latest report by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, this represented an increase of RM581.3 million over 2015, according to The Star.
“We take this very seriously. Malaysia must have a safety culture not just in factories but on the roads as well,” Liow said. Every death costs the country an average of RM 1.2 million, with RM120,000 incurred for severe injury and RM12,000 for light injury incurred in terms of medical cost, productivity loss and other payouts, MIROS estimated.
Last year, 7,152 people were killed in 521,466 road accidents last year, said Liow. The death rate due to road accidents rose from 2.55 persons per 10,000 registered vehicles in 2015, to 2.59 persons for every 10,000 registered vehicles last year.
The Transport Ministry is planning to hire the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for a more in-depth study towards improving road safety in Malaysia, said the transport minister. JICA carried out traffic studies on Myanmar, Malaysia, and Thailand. The agency reported that Malaysia had a relatively high crash rate for every owned vehicle, likely due to the great number of motorcycles on Malaysian roads.
The ministry had carried out many campaigns to improve road safety for motorcyclists, including measures such as encouraging motorcyclists to wear reflective vests, and holding spot checks to ensure helmets are worn, Liow said. However, cooperation from all stakeholders is needed for the Malaysian government to reduce the road death rate to 2.0 persons for every 10,000 registered vehicles by 2020.
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Then resign la! Incompetent failure
If drivers incompetent fools, whazit got to do with him?
By allowing fools driving on our roads
And how can he stop them if they legally pass exams? Eliminate all drivers with P-plate?
The funny thing is this. Gomen complain accidents cost us RM9.2 billion and yet, they say if ALL cars have VSC, accidents and deaths can be reduced by 45%
But the ironic thing is, most car companies are directly or indirectly owned by the gomen themselves!
And yet, gomen does not ensure every car has VSC immediately.
And now, they complain accidents cost RM9.2 billion.
Remmeber, if 45% of RM9.2 billion can be saved, we can save about RM4 billion as well as thousands of lives per year.
Isn’t it time to make sure cars like Axia and Saga have VSC immediately?
The planning of hiring Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) only tell one thing: –> non-capable of local auto ministration/ Institutions/ Association eg.mai/maa/etc… pls do the fundamental first, improve vehicle safety features rules & regulations, is a must to have …
I think the hiring of the right outside help to perform scientific, in-depth study on road accidents would help us decide the best course of actions. No man is an island. The article also said that JICA had done the same for Myanmar and Thailand, so we would also leverage on findings from these countries as well.
Real solutions cost time and a great deal of money (taxpayer money) and if not done correctly will only be wasted. Worse, many people will continue to die on our roads. So decisions cannot simply be made based on what u and i think are the root causes. It’s foolish to not seek
I find it ironic that u’re talking about “non-capability of Malaysian agencies” while making half-baked argument.
U don’t even know the cost or the details of this study. At the very least u should get to know what JICA is all about before bashing. Their purpose is clearly not domestic. The hint is in its name anyway: “INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION”.
That is why for any case of accidents, there must be some carelessness involved. Either reckless driving, bald tyre, drunk etc… These type of ppl need to be penalised more. Instead of just losing NCD, their premium also must be increased as they are high-risked drivers.
In depth studies? Sure, it will cost a big amount too for these studies.. To reduce accidents, make sure all the cars have big brake ventilated disc, clear vision for night drivings, proper suspension, hydrophobic windshield so it helps during heavy rain, and some basic defensive driving for everyone.. Big brake actually cheap in overseas, but comes to malaysia, these people will make it expensive..
every malaysian must learn how to control a skid and slide through a bend….. this save lives.
This test is compulsory in Finland. Because of the type of weather. But also, take note how many world champion came from Finland. Juha kankunen, mika hakinen, Tommi makinen…, kimi raikonen.
No. Every malaysian must learn how NOT to get into a skid and slide.
Nobody asks you to drive at 80km/h in the heavy rain while tackling a turn. Even in the dry, nobody should be even get close to sliding during a turn.
Malaysians and their backwards mentality, go learn some road traffic safety and realize there is something called speed limit.
Very strange that only Malaysia don’t follow speed limit, just look at your successful first-world neighbor.
1) speed limiter to all comercial vehicle. Is very rare to see lorry / bus drive less than 90kmh on highway.
2) rider without liscence to be force to take 2 hours crash course on the spot. Free helmet if they dont have. Force to take licence within 3 month or jail 3 month.
3) all those safety witchcraft on all new cars compulsary.
4) those caught using emergency lane not allowed to continue journey. Hold them for 2 hours. Teach them how to be patience.
5) those caught speeding, car will be towed and kept for 3 months. At least the road is safe for 3 month.
6) those found guilty on road accident, will have to pay 10 times insurance premium. If accident again another 10 times until she/ he give up driving.
7) out rider to be abolished, this is to make sure all VIP to drive early to avoid traffic jam or take lrt/mrt. This has nothing to do with accident is just my opinion.
LOL the last part~
No need hire more consultants, just drive along some highways like LDP and PLUS especially when raining or at night will find the culprits and causes
Wow, the cost means Government collecting half a billion ringgit of GST. I thought Ministry always send team to study overseas. Germany is good in this, but did they learn anything from their visit?
” likely due to the great number of motorcycles on Malaysian roads”
i highly disagree with this one…have u seen the amount of motorcycles that people like me have to deal with in Jakarta…they outnumber cars 4 to 1 and they have no concept of understanding of traffic regulations…when i went to KL a few months back…it was a relief for me as i did not have to deal with a lot of motorcycles on the road and they follow the traffic rules well
Try Vietnam bro.
No need to hire Japanese to do study. Very simple only. Just saman. Everything saman and make sure they pay. No discount after 5 years not paying. In fact double the fine after 5 years. Look at Singapore. I am not trying to suck up to them. Fact is, it is very effective.
As Batman said, “If you want people to obey the law, you have to enforce the little ones too.”
The problem is, we have politikuses putting covers over speedtrap cameras & saying that they will not have them in their states. If those elected r sapoting those offending laws, then what else can be done?
Let’s be honest here, we Malaysian drivers are equally guilty.
We don’t signal, speed, undertake, double park, miss regular service checks, have no civic courtesy, hog the fast lane, cut queues, abuse the emergency lane, fail to turn on headlights at night, don’t give space for motorcyclists, don’t yield for pedestrians, don’t wear seat belts, don’t use child seats, street race, don’t give way for ambulance/police/fire dept., tailgate, drive too slow in a one-lane road… how much more ?
It is always easier to blame the government, law enforcement and car companies, but please lah, we are no better. The change starts with us. Whether you drive a Myvi or Volvo, please drive safely. Is that too much to ask ?
its another hints to de-regulate insurance premium…
starting 2018, car insurance will be much higher…
JPJ n trafik polis please step up ur game. More cars on road every year, more accidents will happen. Enforce the law to reduce law breakers which causes accidents
Why is there road accidents Mr LTL ??!
1) Is it bcos the road is bad
2) Is it bcos our enforcement is not serious
3) Is it bcos our car is not safe/road worthy
4) Is it bcos they are not well rested(bus/lorry drivers)
5) Is it bcos drivers do not cares or give a damn
6) Is it bcos we are all stressed up due to our economy
7) Is it bcos of Kopi-O licence
8) Is it bcos of some or all of the above.
Usually most people envy our ministers but i really pity U bcos U are nothing more than just a highly paid Office Boy doing delivery in an Armani Suit with a driver as your backup. Did I miss anything here ?! Ha ha ha john, what say U !! Any comments please stand up.
See Aero’s comment above and u get ur answer. NEXT!
Another way of looking at it . Many dumb motorcyclists who risk their lives irrationally – they die from crashes . To me it’s a good thing – survival of the fittest , modern evolution process at work . These dumb motorcyclists should not be allowed to breed – cant even think for themselves how to raise responsible kids when they have families .
They should take traffic offenses seriously, recruit more Traffic Police, and start looking for those offender who doesn’t pay their bills, i like the idea of stomping the front door of your house and office just to bring you back to the police station because you didn’t pay the bill, make no different from Loan Shark but it’s more effective this way since those offender deserved it and it indeed help Traffic police to collect back some fines. Another way is to give more severe punishment for those who break the rules! Example? Failed to pay their saman will result in lockout for Rm150/day in prison to remind the others how serious.
Just another excuse to increase the hospital charge and insurances premium la. Lame old tactic.
just another day in malaysia…..Everything ok.
Please bersyukur…
So, ALLLL the speed cameras didn’t work right?…
or deciding to spent MOREEEE citizen’s money to put up cameras EVERYWHERE?…
otherwise…the easy way….point fingers at the drivers/riders…
If that is the case…please return us ALL the speed saman….coz, it didn’t help shit.
Half of the money spend goes to the mark up price for runner, part price, mechanics and all related cost.