There’s been quite some chaos on the roads of Malaysia. With accidents happening at every turn, people have been pointing fingers at a variety of reasons from drunk drivers to those who drive under the influence of drugs.
The authorities, on the other hand, are now pointing their fingers in another direction.
As according to Bernama, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), Datuk Suret Singh shared that last year alone, over 4,000 motorcyclists were reported to have died in accidents, with an average of 11 deaths a day.
And they’re blaming it all on the attitude of motorcyclists who shoot through traffic in between cars and motorcyclists who enjoy using the fast lane.
MIROS research shows that 50 per cent of accidents occur on federal roads, followed by accidents on municipal roads (19 per cent), state roads (16 per cent), residential area roads (12 per cent) and highways (three per cent).
The results of the MIROS study in 2012 to 2017 found that only three per cent of accidents involving motorcyclists occurred on the highway because they use the left lane instead of the right.
“Our observation found that motorcyclists (class 250cc and below) like to use the speeding lane, while the speed on the route can reach up to 120km/h compared to the speed in the left lane, which is 70km/h. So, it is time for these motorcyclists to cultivate self control by prioritising road safety by riding on the left lane to reduce the risk of fatal accidents,” Suret told Bernama.
He added that motorcycles of that class are unsuitable to be used on the right lane as their breaking systems are not as advanced as vehicles with higher horsepower, and that disobedient motorcyclists of that class can be prosecuted under Section 42 of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless and dangerous driving.
He advised motorcyclists to adopt the rules and laws of the road that have been taught to them at their driving training institution.
We genuinely hope that motorcyclists take his advice to heart as they do not have walls protecting them when they’re riding on the road.
What do you think about this? Let us know in the comment section.
Also read: Putrajaya Will Soon Become A Cycling Haven With Bicycle Lanes & Other Amenities
