Op Selamat records 20,000 road crashes
HOLIDAY PERIOD: Increase in number of accidents this year, but there’s a drop in fatalities
THE number of accidents recorded in this year’s Op Selamat during Hari Raya Aidilfitri saw an increase of more than 1,000 compared with the operation last year.
However, statistics for fatal accidents and deaths were lower, said Federal Traffic Enforcement Department deputy director Superintendent Ruslan Khalid.
He said 20,294 accidents were recorded under Op Selamat 9, which was launched on June 29.
This, he said, meant an increase of 1,235 cases from the previous year’s operation.
“There were 273 fatal accidents involving 299 deaths, compared with 303 fatal accidents and 330 deaths recorded during last year’s operation.
“Based on our investigations, most of the accidents occurred due to speeding, leading to drivers losing control of their vehicles,” he said.
Speaking at the Federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman, Ruslan said this was the first time in five years that the number of fatal accidents had decreased from the previous year.
In 2012, 17,937 accidents were recorded with 226 deaths. The number of deaths rose in 2013, as 248 people were killed, though there was a drop in the number of road accidents (17,830).
In 2014, the number of crashes and deaths increased to 20,458 and 244.
Ruslan said the 15-day operation, which ended on Wednesday, saw 246,104 summonses issued by police, including for speeding (133,695), queue jumping (1,985) and driving or riding in the emergency lane (1,146).
“Besides that, 968 summonses were issued for overtaking at double lines, 2,384 for beating red lights and 553 for using mobile phones while driving,” he said.
He said the number of road users using emergency lanes also decreased this year, from 3,542 last year to 1,146.
In Bentong, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said his ministry had asked for an integrated system to monitor traffic summonses.
He said the current system would be integrated to enable the Road Transport Department (RTD) to refuse to renew driving licences if anyone was found to have outstanding traffic summonses from any traffic authority, including police and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
“We will not create a new system. Instead, the system will be integrated and RTD will take action since the
Pic Road Transport Act is within its jurisdiction,” he said.
In Petaling Jaya, Selangor RTD director Nazli Md Taib said the number of summonses issued in the state had increased from the previous year’s Hari Raya period.
He said 3,801 offences involving 1,858 vehicles were recorded, adding that this was more than double the previous year’s statistics of 1,752.
Nazli said the fact that RTD officers were more mobile this year might have something to do with the increase in offences.
In Kangar, Perlis Transport Committee chairman Datuk Sabry Ahmad said 40 per cent of motorists booked during Op Selamat in the state were motorcyclists who rode without licences.
Of the number, he said, 30 per cent were teenagers, adding that another 15 motorcyclists were found to have been riding while under the influence of drugs.
Sabry said the state RTD had issued 350 summonses.
In Seremban, Negri Sembilan RTD director Azrin Borhan said his officers and traffic policemen had booked 73 motorists for using emergency lanes.
He said RTD officers received 80 reports from the public over the same offence and would track down the offenders.
Azrin said the department had issued 116 summonses to bus drivers.
He said the summonses were issued by officers who posed as passengers and inspected 59 buses during the operation. Additional reporting by Hani Shamira Shahrudin, Ili Shazwani and Teoh Pei Ying