Safety barriers reducing accidents by 90%

THE safety rolling barrier system has succeeded in reducing accidents at a stretch of road by over 90%.

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the system was erected along a 130m stretch in Subang in December last year under a pilot project.

“Results after a six-month trial period showed that road accidents were reduced by 94%,” she said when answering a question raised by Datuk Seri Dr Mahammad Michael Leo Toyad Abdullah (BN-Mukah).

She said the system proved effective owing to its features such as better warning visibility and ability to absorb impact shocks.

She added that the rolling safety barrier would be erected near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport roundabout.

Rosnah said there are plans for the system to be erected in new road projects and specific stretches.

However, she noted that the cost of the system was six times the cost of conventional steel guardrails.

“It costs RM250 to install a metre of conventional guardrail compared with RM1,500 per metre for the rolling safety system,” she said.

On vandalism of road signboards, Rosnah said the ministry has taken measures to replace the aluminium signboards with composite boards which have no resale value.

She informed the House that RM4.6 bil was allocated for the maintenance of state roads.