‘TRUCKERS’ ACTION PUTS OTHERS AT RISK’
RTD pledges to end problem of lorry drivers parking on emergency lane
THE Road Transport Department (RTD) has vowed to take stern action against lorries and trailers that park on emergency lanes on the nation’s highways.
RTD director-general Datuk Shaharuddin Khalid labelled the truckers’ action as “dangerous” and pledged to work with the police, as well as highway authorities, to end the practice.
Speaking to the New Straits Times, he said, while he understood the drivers’ fatigue, their action, nevertheless, caused more harm than good to other road users, on top of breaking the law.
“Parking along the emergency lanes is dangerous and they are taking this very lightly. Any vehicle driven at night can easily smash into these giant trucks.
“Their size alone makes them dangerous to other road users so they have to be extra vigilant when they are driving or even parking.”
He was commenting on NST’s Monday’s front-page report that highlighted how lorry and trailer drivers were using the emergency lanes along highways as a parking spot. The report quoted lorry drivers as saying they did so due to fatigue, on top of a lack of available parking bays at the designated rest-and-relaxation areas.
The North-South Expressway (PLUS) operator, in a statement, had revealed that last year, 26 accidents were recorded at six locations along the PLUS expressway, which are deemed as hotspots where lorries and trailers can usually be found parking illegally.
Shaharuddin took to task transport companies for not engaging co-drivers for their vehicles, which would help with the fatigue issue.
“Companies are taking the easy way out. They don’t want to pay for extra drivers and their only concern is the goods must reach their destinations on time.”
He said, according to Rule 10B of the Road Traffic Rules 1959, goods vehicles were required to have co-drivers. The law, he said, stated that companies must provide a second driver for business vehicles that were operational for four straight hours or more than 300km.
Shaharuddin said drivers were prohibited from driving more than eight hours within a 24-hour period.
“Drivers are required to record their travels in a log book and to take note of the change of drivers. They must carry this log book at all times.”
On action to be taken, Shaharuddin said RTD, the police and highway authorities had conducted regular operations along the highway, but the problem persisted.
He said RTD would take serious action to put an end to the problem.
“We will work closely with the police and highway authorities to put a stop to this.”