A road safety expert has said that routine enforcement should not be carried out on emergency lanes, following the occurrence of a fatal crash on the North-South Expressway (NSE) earlier this week, reported New Straits Times.
According to the report, the incident occurred when a traffic police officer was conducting a roadside inspection in the emergency lane of the NSE in the northbound direction.
Emergency lanes are meant for vehicle breakdowns, medical emergencies and access for emergency services, and not routine inspections, said Universiti Putra Malaysia Road Safety Research Centre head associate professor Law Teik Hua.
“High-speed traffic and motorcyclists using the lane make stops extremely hazardous,” Law said, adding that police must use proper warning measures such as cones, flares, reflective triangles, flashing lights and high-visibility vests, and that such precautions should be mandatory, not optional, in order to reduce the risk of secondary collisions which are common on high-speed highways.
The head of the UPM road safety research centre also called for revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) and legislation, including mandatory risk assessments before roadside stops, minimum safety distances for warning devices, and accountability if protocols were ignored.
Although the police are legally allowed to set up roadblocks under Section 26 of the Police Act 1967, routine roadblocks on highways posed serious risks, including sudden braking and chain collisions, Law said.
He also proposed that routine inspections be relocated to safer areas such as toll plazas, rest areas, laybys or weigh stations where traffic speed is controlled and adequate space is available. Law also suggested further measures such as the use of buffer vehicles or truck-mounted attenuators (TMA), to shield officers during unavoidable roadside stops.
“Routine checks should be moved to controlled zones where enforcement can be carried out without exposing officers and motorists to unnecessary danger. Without proper management, emergency lanes remain one of the most dangerous parts of the highway,” he said.
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let me guess – they were negotiating for duit kopi , sorry i mean angpow, in the emergency lane
So I was driving to Sunway via Federal Highway this week during noon time and got some “mata” at the emergency lane opposite C&C, not sure they were targeting who but a couple of motorbikes not using their designated lane weren’t apprehended. Selective prosecution?
they are usually there to catch cars who drive in the emergency lane then forcefully merge into the slow lane at the final stretch, its a common hunting spot for cops