Punish errant motorcyclists
MALAYSIA seems to hold a record of sorts for being among the highest at risk for fatal accidents in the world. And we have held the record since 1996! The Malaysian Institute Of Road Safety And Research recorded 7,152 deaths in 2016 of which 62.7% involved motorcyclists. We also hold the joint record with Vietnam for the highest number of motorcycle fatalities in Asia
— a death rate of more than 20 per day! And these statistics are only an estimate due to under-reporting for fear of prosecution under the law. The real figures might be even bigger. With Hari Raya fast approaching, we must brace ourselves for more unsettling news.
Statistics show that the majority of these accidents involved motorcyclists between 16 and 20 years of age. They mainly occur in rural areas where the safety helmet is never worn or loosely buckled to deceive the authorities. Surprisingly, the record also shows that female motorcyclists riding without licences account for a higher percentage of accidents than their male counterparts!
Several studies indicate a strong correlation between attitudes and driving behaviour. From what I see on the roads, the attitude of Malaysian motorcyclists is deplorable. Many are rude and do not seem to have any respect for traffic rules and regulations.
In small towns and on rural roads, it is not unusual to see underage children riding on motorcycles to school. Many start riding the motorcycle even though they are below the legal age for obtaining a motorcycle licence. Parents are well aware of this but allow it for their own convenience. There ought to be a law to punish parents of underage children who are caught riding motorcycles or driving cars.
Many of these young motorcyclists seldom wear the helmet or switch on the lights at night. Other risky behaviours include riding recklessly, aggressively and at high speed, riding dangerously in between moving and stationary cars, fighting for space, overtaking on the left, making sudden turns without giving signals, jumping lights and suddenly surging into oncoming traffic. And one of their favourite evening pas- times is to drive alongside friends or in small groups — chatting and laughing with caution thrown to the winds. And these are our normal motorcyclists, not the thrill-seeking Mat Rempit!
We continue to see motorcyclists breaking the rules without being punished. Their number is increasing as it is now sort of a norm for everyone to ignore the rules. Could such nonchalant and dangerous attitude on the roads be due to the poor enforcement of the law? Are our enforcing officers too lax and forgiving when it comes to motorcyclists as many come from the poorer segment of society?
Law enforcement is one of the key elements in controlling traffic violations but short spans of vigorous enforcement of the law during the festive seasons or on selected weekends, followed by lapses, have proven to be not only unfruitful but also harmful in the long run. It will only evolve into a hide-and-seek situation where the motorcyclists toe the line when they are forced to, only to go back to their old habits once the line is clear. The new Automated Awareness Safety System — which integrates the Automated Enforcement System and the Kejara Demerit Point System — must be strictly enforced on motorcyclists too. Incidentally, the Kejara system has been around for a long time but never really got off the ground.
Having the right attitude towards road safety is a must and this can only be achieved if the police, Road Transport Department, schools, community, JKK and parents work hand in hand. Respect for the law must begin at home with parents as the first teachers. They must be the role model for children to see and emulate. We must teach our children from an early age to look down on those who do not observe the rules and not to look upon them as heroes, as in the case of Mat Rempit.
Besides, road safety education and training programmes are essential in enhancing traffic safety. Motorcyclists must first be instilled with a strong sense of responsibility before they take to the roads. The responsibility must then be extended to other road users so that everyone is safe when they are on the road. It must begin at home and carried on through constant indoctrination in schools. The school syllabi for English, Bahasa Malaysia and other subjects can incorporate materials on traffic safety and examinations can be creatively structured to include some questions on these topics.