Everyone’s talking about the floods and rightly so. Unprecedented rainfall over two days have caused many parts in the Klang Valley to be submerged, and the situation is even worse in the East Coast, where entire towns are under water. But no one talks about car accidents, which claim a lot more lives than natural disasters, at least in Malaysia. We’re desensitised, perhaps.
Last week, there was a horrific accident on the Elite Highway involving a trailer and three cars. Ten people died that night, including nine in one car alone – a mother and her eight children. Apparently, the lorry rammed into the three cars that were on the emergency lane, after one of the cars broke down. This is not the first time such an accident happened.
The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) has reminded motorists to not attempt any vehicle repair on the emergency lanes of highways. Instead, one should call 999 or the highway operator for assistance. MIROS chairman Datuk Suret Singh said that repairing cars or changing tyres on the emergency lane is extremely dangerous.
“All highway operators have patrol teams, so contact them for assistance. If you don’t have the number, Google it. Usually, the highway patrol team will arrive in a short time and tow the stranded vehicle to the nearest rest area. All passengers should get down from the car and gather outside the highway barriers,” he said.
Suret added that vehicles that breakdown need to have their hazard lights on, and motorists are advised to put a safety triangle or traffic cone around 30 metres behind the car. One should also use a torchlight to warn oncoming cars. The road safety advocate also urged motorists to keep a hi-vis reflective vest in the car for emergency use.
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Better for MIROS to work with authorities and focus on what can be done to heavy vehicles drivers – why is it that they end up driving on emergency lanes?
Anyone who drives on the Elite Highway will know that the heavy vehicle drivers deserve death penalties for murder and attempted murder. There’s absolutely zero enforcement there. Trailers and express busses will even tailgate you in the middle lane at over 120km/h and high beam you. They will overtake dangerously. Nothing is done. This trailer driver that murdered 9 people should be put to the gallows, plain and simple.
That will irk the ire of Oppo-leaning, human rights & freedom fighting, liberal, SJWs…
In China,the moronic driver is bundled into a van by the police and sent to the firing squad faster than 100 m world record holder Mr.Bolt.
I have been stranded once on the highway in the middle of no where and didn’t have cellular signal to Google or call and there was none of those emergency phone poles nearby and almost empty traffic and understandably nobody passing by was willing to pull over and help a stranger in the still dark early mornings. may need to consider that too.
Not sure if those cars at the emergency lanes are breaks down or paid parking
In the first place ,what is an emergency lane for?
If you cant fix a puncture,than where?Sometimes,mobile phone signals dont work,do you wait for tow truck?
The problem is,enforcement on dangerous overtaking from emergency lanes are stepped up only when 9 lives are lost.
The driver should not be allowed bail..when cctv evidence is there.You suspend his licence,he can still curi curi drive an illegal bas sekolah.In China,Xi Xin Peng would have him executed.
Gross misunderstanding there. Emergency lanes are for emergency vehicles to use in an emergency, it is not a parking spot for breakdown cars. However when such situation arises, they must hazards & warning indicators be placed to warn any oncoming vehicles that may or may not be using the emergency lane.
What do you mean?
The government should mandate all cars have a maximum lifespan of 5 years only to prevent this kind of incidents happen again…
Will only agree if government will also subsidize the purchase of a new car for each citizen every 5 years.
They should also mandate people with low intelligence to be eliminated from the gene pool, we can start with you.
And what happened to car that have more than 5 years then? Do you sincerely believe that breaking down of a car got to do with its age?
Am I the only one who thinks the car was overloaded? It was designed for 5 people only. Could have make 2 trips or have some family planning in the first place.
Exactly my thoughts. Once a car breaks down, get all passengers out of it and away. That should be the first thing you do. Surely we all have seen how fast vehicles zoom by at the highway. Emergency lanes are kill zones. Especially at night. Let’s hope the recent tragedy has made it clear.
Emergency lane is for emergency. Example, for car that breaks down all of a sudden, while waiting for recovery or quick checking, park it there for a while. Seriously Miros, stop blaming others for self incompetency. First question should be, why in the world that truck swipe all those cars in the emergency lane? Find the root cause, and fix it from there.
Emergency lanes are for emergency vehicles to use in an emergency, it is not a parking spot for breakdown cars. However when such situation arises, they must hazards & warning indicators be placed to warn any oncoming vehicles that may or may not be using the emergency lane.
Scheduled preventive maintenance is the key.
Emergency lanes are kill zones. Once your car is stopped there, get everyone out and away from it. Call PLUS Ronda for help. Do not take the risk of standing near the car especially when traffic is heavy or at night time.
where’s the highway ronda team??