Toll plazas pose deadly danger
> Motorists seen speeding through narrow passages, one fatality recorded
SHAH ALAM: The Batu Tiga and Sungei Rasau toll plazas, both inactive since Jan 1 following the abolition of toll there, are posing a hazard to tens of thousands of motorists taking the route daily.
As it is now a toll-free passage, motorists are no longer slowing down to pass through the toll gates.
Checks by theSun showed that instead of slowing down as they have done in the past when approaching these toll plazas, there are motorists from both Klang and Petaling Jaya directions speeding over the legal limits and attempting to slip through the narrow passages.
There were also cars spotted switching lanes near the toll plazas at high speeds causing near-misses with other vehicles.
Early yesterday, the first fatality since the toll-free passage began was reported when a female passenger in a speeding vehicle was killed after the driver lost control of the car and crashed into the Batu Tiga toll booth.
Shah Alam police chief ACP Shafien Mamat said yesterday the passenger, Norsya’Baniah Norhisham, 20, of Pedas, Negri Sembilan was killed at the scene of the accident that occurred at about 6.40am.
Car driver Muhammad Azki Dahlan Jamit, 21, of Hulu Langat suffered injuries and was sent to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang for treatment.
Traffic police sources said over the past two weeks, there have been a number of accidents reported at the toll plazas.
They said except for damage to vehicles, such as grazing and hitting the curbs at the toll collection cabins, there were no casualties reported then.
Sources also said that there has been an increase in vehicle volume on the Federal Highway since the toll abolition.
“The increase is between 30% and 40% daily. Motorists who took other routes to and from Petaling Jaya and Klang are now switching to the Federal Highway to save toll costs. This has caused some traffic congestion along the whole stretch especially during peak hours,” a source said.
Selangor police traffic chief Supt Kamaludin Mohamad said motorists should slow down and travel at low speeds at both toll plazas until the structures are removed to avoid untoward incidents.
“Motorists should be aware that the passage of the toll gate is narrow and passing it at high speeds can be tricky and risky. If they lose control, it can be disastrous. Slowing down to safe speeds can avoid a mishap,” he said yesterday.
Traffic police personnel will be stationed at the toll plazas to monitor speeding vehicles and ease traffic congestion, he added.
The Malaysian Highway Authority has said the removal of the plaza booths will be completed in three months.