JPJ wants heftier penalties for offences

Department also aiming to take offenders straight to court

JAYA: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) wants motorists who beat the red light, use a cellphone while driving, don’t wear a seat belt or cut queue on the roads to be hit with stiffer penalties.

It also wants drivers of commercial and public transport vehicles caught hogging the fast lane to suffer increased penalties as well, said JPJ director-general Datuk Seri Nadzri Siron (pic).

Motorists who commit these offences usually incur a fine and demerit points now, but the JPJ wants them brought to court and charged, where they could be fined up to RM2,000 or jailed a maximum of six months, or both, if convicted.

Nadzri said JPJ wants the stiffer penalties imposed in a bid to reduce road accidents.

In the first six months of this year, 90 fatal road accidents were caused by motorists beating the red light, according to traffic police.

Also, summonses were issued to 2,395 motorists who beat the red light and to 2,020 caught using their mobile phone while driving during Ops Selamat between June 18 and July 2.

JPJ has issued 4,817 summonses for running a red light and 38,174 for speeding in the two months since the Automated Awareness Safety System was implemented in April, Nadzri was quoted as saying by Sin Chew Daily.

Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Senior Asst Comm Sharul Othman Mansor said the matter was JPJ’s prerogative but police support the proposal.

“Some of these are serious offences,” he added.

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research director-general Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon said JPJ’s proposal needs closer scrutiny.

“Let us look into it. I believe it has implications that need to be considered,” he said in a text message.