‘Dato Mohamad Musa road records highest number of fatal accidents in Sarawak’

MIRI: Dato Mohamad Musa road in Kota Samarahan recorded the highest number of fatal accidents in Sarawak.

Road Safety Department (JKJR) deputy director Datuk Roslan Eusoff, who revealed this, said the main factor that leads to fatal accidents is driving beyond the speed limit.

“The road (Dato Mohamad Musa road) is a straight road thus drivers tend to drive fast without thinking about their own safety, and when accidents happen, the chances of survival are very slim.

“If one obeys the speed limit and it happens that the accident occurs on a straight road, the probability for survival is high and we advise this ‘disease’ of driving fast to be reduced,” he said after the launching of the state-level road safety campaign by Assistant Minister for Land and Air Transportation and Safety Datuk Lee Kim Shin here yesterday.

He said the road safety campaign themed ‘ Drive Carefully, Arrive Safely’ was held in conjunction with the Chinese New Year as part of the government’s continuous efforts to create awareness of road safety.

“We are competing to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities in Malaysia. That is the only thing that we are competing for and I hope road users can be more considerate and respect each other while on the road,” he added.

Commenting on the same matter, state JKJR director Davina Agnes Enteli stressed on road safety guidelines that road users should comply with – wearing seat belt at all times, tying helmet, keeping to the speed limit, using pedestrian walkways, safety seats for children, not using the mobile phone while driving and not tailgating.

Davina said wearing a seat belt can reduce serious injuries by 50 per cent in the event of an accident.

“The human body can only survive with an impact of not more than 30 kilometres per hour and if one drives more than 90 kilometres per hour, there is rarely any survivor in the crash, especially on straight roads,” she said.

According to her, the MiriAirport road is prone to accidents as it is a straight road and often used by truck drivers.

“Heavy vehicles often use this road and that is why we are focusing more on the drivers of this particular road.

“We want to make sure they adhere to the speed limit and rules by practising safe driving,” she emphasised.