Each life lost in a road accident is worth RM2.3 million

Each life lost in a road accident is worth RM2.3 million

Accidents cost lives, but just how much is a life worth from a monetary point of view? According to a study conducted by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) on the economic aspect of road accidents, the cost of a life lost as a result of a road accident works out to be RM2.3 million, Bernama reports.

According to road safety department (JKJR) director-general Datuk Rosli Isa, road accidents involving 6,740 casualties had incurred costs around RM15 billion. The value stipulated in the study included medical and insurance costs.

“Accidents cause the country to lose important assets, while families experience difficulties. The main cause of accidents are drivers’ attitudes, such as being careless, not abiding by road safety rules and using mobile phones while driving. Most motorists commit this offence, but on the whole, the victims are motorcyclists,” he said.

The number of fatalities from road accidents in the country has never dipped below 6,000 since 2003. While last year’s numbers were lower than that of 2016, in which there were 7,152 fatalities, it’s still higher than that the 6,706 deaths recorded in 2015. In the first nine months of 2017, it was reported that 5,083 deaths had come about from 400,788 road accidents.

Last year, the government said that existing road safety campaigns had failed to reduce the number of road accidents in the country, despite the ministry of transport’s (MOT) Road Safety Plan 2014-2020 looking to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2020.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • Mokmok on Feb 28, 2018 at 12:37 pm

    Potholes.. get to that first!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 40 Thumb down 3
  • Rightwinger on Feb 28, 2018 at 12:53 pm

    The safer vehicles rating are, the more drivers adopt riskier habits.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 2
    • U mean 5star rating P1 drivers ?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 9
    • Just took a trip kl to Penang n back…all sorts of vehicles including buses n lorries were breaking the speed limits…AES BIG FAILURE!!!!! IT’S ONLY GOOD FOR GOMEN TO COLLECT MONEY…. Never saw even one police patrol car

      Also so many drivers are using mobiles while driving including motorcyclists while riding. Drive anywhere and you can witness it on a daily basis.

      Strict enforcement n heavy penalties are the only solution

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 1
  • Applegreen on Feb 28, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    Motorcycle, lorries and buses contribute to 70% fatalities. In the end gov blame car drivers

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 28 Thumb down 7
    • Lorries and buses dun lead to direct fatalities, but eksiden with them can cause fatalities to others like motors and cars.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 27
  • panjang on Feb 28, 2018 at 12:58 pm

    Putting value to life is just wrong regardless the reason.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 17
  • 12yrsold on Feb 28, 2018 at 1:07 pm

    If the study conducted by UPM is true, MOT should ask all drivers & its passengers(motorcycles/cars/lorries/buses) should insure RM2.3 million on their lives.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
  • No problem. Bashers says RV worth more than safety features in a car. ToyotaP2 rulez.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 59 Thumb down 52
    • works on Feb 28, 2018 at 3:38 pm

      you hate toyota so much? mind to tell me what engine lotus use in their car? is it proton?or toyota engine?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 10
      • Dinosar engine dun kill pipu, none-existent safety features do.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 52 Thumb down 40
      • I don’t see the relation between good safety device offer by P1 compare to Lotus use toyota engine. Pening..

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 8
  • amir hamzah on Feb 28, 2018 at 2:45 pm

    Kereta makin banyak, jalanraya tidak bertambah looo.
    Sure la banyak accident. Nak salahkan sapa?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 5
    • mazidul on Feb 28, 2018 at 3:47 pm

      Mmg perlu kurangkan bilangan penduduk. Msia dh overpopulated.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 2
    • Jamil Bin Abu on Feb 28, 2018 at 4:43 pm

      Bermakna peratus kemalangan dan jumlah kematian setiap tahun menurun

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 4
      • JKJR takde pun cakap peratusan kemalangan meningkat, cuma bilangan saje. Maka berpatutanlah, bila keta & motor berlambak kat jalan, lebih kerap bilangan kemalangan berlaku. Kematian menurun pulak sebab keta skarang lebih banyak safety features…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 19
  • david on Feb 28, 2018 at 2:49 pm

    This is just 2% incidences from the pool.

    Do you mind to share how much $$ the insurance companies collected? Hundred thousand of billions

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
  • shawal on Feb 28, 2018 at 3:07 pm

    What u expect when there is zero enforcement.
    Motorbikes don’t give a damn.
    Weaving in and out of the federal highway even thought motorbike lane is provided.
    Drive through PJS area. Like cowboy town parents + kids riding motorcycle without helmets. Mana polis when we need them.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 35 Thumb down 21
    • 12yrsold on Feb 28, 2018 at 4:06 pm

      Bro, motorbike lanes in Federal highway tak boleh pakai la.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 6
    • Polis cannot touch PJS area. Selangor mah.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 45 Thumb down 42
    • Shanmugam on Feb 28, 2018 at 4:45 pm

      Bro, many part of the bike lane is closed now. Under renovation. Still want to blame the bikers? Why don’t you change your mind and start to accept the fact that the road is there for us to share.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 26
      • Add A Comment on Mar 01, 2018 at 7:34 am

        But you do not need to pay road tax and toll…do you?

        – I Have Just Added A Comment –

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • Bernard on Feb 28, 2018 at 3:34 pm

    Poor infrastructure, poor road user attitude, poor everything…..whose fault?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • vVivi Zurianti on Feb 28, 2018 at 7:09 pm

    Too many incompetent drivers and kopi-o licence holders in Malaysia road. Driving like playing video games.

    Accidents are mostly caused by human. Little were caused by mechanical/faulty cars. In Malaysia, the victims are typically old skool cars, that gets the blame.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
  • seancorr (Member) on Mar 01, 2018 at 12:28 am

    Wanna reduce the accidents? Impose stricter laws for breaking rules. Most of these accidents are caused by reckless driving especially for the two wheel riders. Secondly they should look at stopping JPJ from getting bribes to issue licences to people who are not worthy of getting it. Look at other countries, law breakers can never get away from breaking laws and they are punished for it. What about us?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Good to see that, once again, Malaysia really values its citizens and actually puts a price on each one of their lives. How shameful – total human rights champions you guys are! NOT

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Concerned on Mar 01, 2018 at 9:46 am

    The main factor of fatal road accidents in Malaysia is speed.

    It is deemed OK to drive / ride above the imposed speed limit as long you can get away with it. This is called as a sick culture.

    Public awareness and education on road safety shall be made as a mandatory pass subject for children.

    Enforcement needs to be improved too. Personally I don’t think AES on highways can create impact to reduce fatal accidents as majority of fatality are motorcyclist in trunk roads.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
    • Cheung on Mar 01, 2018 at 12:24 pm

      AES is extra income for JPJ Malaysia.

      AES vendors earn profit from this too.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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