The proposed amendments to Sections 41 to 45 of the Road Transport Act, which will allow for harsher penalties against those found to be driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, will also see the lowering of permissible alcohol levels as detected through breathalyser, urine and blood tests, The Star reports.
Transport minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said that these will be brought in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, which is 22 micrograms of alcohol in 100 ml of breath, 50 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood or 67 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of urine.
Currently, the levels adopted by the country stands at 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 ml of breath, 80 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood or 107 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of urine.
The proposed amendments will see prison sentences for those causing death or injury due to drink driving being increased from 10 to 15 years, while the maximum fine will be raised from RM20,000 to RM100,000. Wee said the stiffer penalties that are being proposed will also cover offences such as driving under the influence of drugs as well as reckless driving.
From 2018 to the first half of this year, there were 29 deaths and 41 injuries due to road accidents involving drunk drivers. This year alone, there were 22 such accidents, resulting in nine deaths and 13 injuries.
In related news, lawmakers and safety advocates say that while the harsher penalties for drink-driving are laudable, other aspects of the issue should also be looked into. Among these are the inclusion of an effective compensation system for the family of a victim.
According to Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, the government should consider the welfare of victims and their families from losses suffered after an accident, and come up with a quantum that would help protect the future of the victim’s family. “The loss of income, trauma and the future of their children must be considered,” he said.
This was echoed by National Road Safety Council member Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, who said that there should be a system where victims or their families were compensated in the event of death or permanent injury after a drink-driving accident. “The victims’ families should be entitled to medical assistance and those who are found guilty must be held responsible and take care of those they have injured,” he said.
He welcomed the proposed amendments, but said that there was also a need to instil a safety culture, where people should know not to be behind the wheel when intoxicated. Lee said drinking establishments could do their bit by insisting that patrons do not drive home inebriated, instead offering to call them a cab. “This is a question of being responsible, which would help discourage drink driving in the long run,” he said.
Totally agreed & supported the view because mostly drink & drunk drivers can claim insurance although they are at fault but victims (or families) can claim nothing if they don’t have insurance
Someone must be drunk … brewing alcohol everyday
fyi, insurance do not give anything if police report mention drunk drive. everybody all at loss except ins com
Are you sure drunk drivers will reveal in their police report that they were drunk and then use the report to make insurance claim? Think again.
T&C of insurance claim for drunk drivers also must be amended whereby they should not be entitled for any compensation
Agreed as a guideline, but still need to see for the case for low level but still mabuk then langgar orang. How to judge? Lepas?
Charge under reckless driving. Won’t escape one.
Why nothing is done on mat rempit?
u still a kid? people talk about seomthing else, u go elsewhere
Why cant share opinion here. U think you are still a kid that playing with superman.
So you wanted the government to just keep quiet about drunk drivers is it? Most of them did not even served any jail term, just a small fine and they moved on like nothing happened while others suffer because of them. It is so freaking unfair to those who have to bear the losses of their breadwinner of the family, family members and friends forever in their life just because you are drunk which can be very much avoided if you have taken Grab/taxi or with friends who are sober. VERY SIMPLE isn’t it? Yes mat rempit is one thing we should look into but most mat rempits died on the spot if they crash into another vehicle and less fatal cases involving the innocent one while drunk driver have a chance to survive and usually & mostly the innocent are the dead/severely injured one. So which one are the priority for now? the SELFISH DRUNK DRIVERS! Please tell yourself, friends and family not to drive after your drinking session. We got lots of Grab/taxi drivers nowadays, so please be a smart one.
Duxb logic.
Apparently there are more hype than real menace?
not trendy. thats why.
I drink too and I totally support this but What about all other traffic offences from Uninsured to unlicensed riders and drivers. What happens when an unlicensed driver or motorcycle collides into a pedestrian. While compensates the victim.
What about the number of underage riders making insurance claims because their underage Buddy was the one that collided into them.?
What’s the point?
In Malaysia to confirm verdict on drunk driving, the driver need to be tested positive for all three test (Breath, Urine and Blood) by the police.
There’s no rule on how long in between these test are done.
One driver can be tested positive for breath right after the accident. Then wait few hours before urine test at the police station. Then another few hours for blood test in the hospital.
If any of these result is negative, the driver is not officially considered as drunk driving.
Malaysia Boleh!!!!
It will take hours and a lot of flushings to get rid of sufficient alcohol in system. Normally there will be enough time to get a sample from the perp. Unless they pay to switch samples.
Source? Get from whre
https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/blood-alcohol-level/ — A blood alcohol test is only accurate within 6–12 hours after your last drink.
https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/alcohol/how-long-alcohol-stay-system/#:~:text=Blood%3A%20Alcohol%20is%20eliminated%20from,hours%20via%20the%20traditional%20method — Alcohol can be detected in urine for up 3 to 5 days via the ethyl glucuronide (EtG) test or 10 to 12 hours via the traditional method.
12 hrs is more than sufficient time for us to get blood and urine samples. I don’t see why there is any questions about it.
Mantap Dr Wee! Memang Mentri yg buat keje dgn betul. I sapot you.
Additional question or criteria should be added when renewing or applying for auto insurance…’do you drink?’.
If yes then increase the premium and to change the policy so it covers the victim of the accident. Yes, people can lie. In this case the drunk driver claim will also be void. Only when this happen maybe some sort of compensation can be considered by the gomen.I said ‘maybe’ coz NGO should step in first. These days NGO seems to have more cash than the gomen.
This is one proper way to curb drink and driving rather than allowing people to drink, get drunk and only then try to prevent them from driving.
Compensation to victims and their family caused by DUI drivers?
This will open a can of worms.
What about cases caused by the driver on purpose (beating the red light)?
The driver is not under any DUI but intentionally did not want to follow the traffic lights.
Most motorcyclist can be seen doing this on a daily basis.
Will compensation will also be paid?
Most motorcyclist running the redlight have lower chance of causing injuries or death because their vehicle has a smaller footprint as compared to drunk drivers running the redlight. So the priority should on punishing drunk drivers now.
What happens when the motorcyclist changes vehicle (car/van/lorry)?
I doubt their driving habits will change.
Most motorcyclist running the redlight have lower chance of causing injuries or death because their vehicle has a smaller footprint as compared to drunk drivers running the redlight. So the priority should on punishing drunk drivers now..
Politics aside, no issue with this legal amendment since a vehicle can be a “weapon” when one drives while drunk.
Good job.
Took only 4 months to act and take action on the matter.
Very good governance indeed.
Sorry to throw cold water here.
It’s only a cabinet proposal.
It still needs to be tabled in parliament.
And then to be voted for approval by parliament.
Plus to gazetted into law.
Finally, the most important step, enforcement.
If no enforcement, any law passed will be useless.
I drink and I totally support this….
A quote from the article…….”From 2018 to the first half of this year, there were 29 deaths and 41 injuries due to road accidents involving drunk drivers. This year alone, there were 22 such accidents, resulting in nine deaths and 13 injuries.”
With annual deaths on Malaysian roads getting close to 7,000 each and every year, the quote above clearly shows that deaths on the roads caused by drunk driving are an extremely low percentage.
I support any road rules that stop people being irresponsible and choosing to drink and drive. It is one cause of deaths on the roads and should be stopped.
However, surely all the other reasons for the MAJORITY of deaths on the roads should be implemented with the same vigour as we have seen here with the driving under the influence laws.
As long as we as a community continue to condone all the blatant flaunting of road rules on a daily basis then unfortunately NOTHING will change.
This is one step and I support it but there is so much more that urgently needs to be done to reduce the 7,000 Malaysian deaths on roads each year.
Extremely low eh? Do you wish to be one of the “29 deaths and 41 injured”?
Gary,
Please do not twist my words!
Any death is a tragedy, that is clearly obvious to any normal thinking person.
I merely highlighted the number in comparison to the total amount of lives lost on the roads each year.
Don’t play games with my comments. You either agree or disagree, totally your choice.
Have a good day.
I totally agree with the views of chris. Malaysian authorities will only take action or amend laws when shit happened. If not, just leave it as it is. Oh, drink driving hit news-action. Buang baby hit news-action. Rempit hit ambulance-action. Not to say if it doesnt goes into big news, no action needed. Should also continue to improvise and amend other rules, regulations, laws and ethics. Not to mention all this have to start with education so our people have civic and moral values.
With much kesyukuran in my heart, malaysia road will be safer…..