Road Traffic Fatalities Alarming

The number of road traffic fatalities in Malaysia is alarming, as in 2014, 6,674 lives perished which translates to 19 people killed each day in our country. 

Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Micheal Manyin Jawong said that, Sarawak has recorded 427 fatalities due to road traffic accidents out traffic accident in 2014 – an increase of 6 fatalities from 2013. 

"On average, 50 accidents out of which 1 fatality happens each day on Sarawak roads and this figure is translated as RM512.4 million (opportunity cost is RM 1.2 million/per loss of life) losses to the state."

"Motorcyclists and pillion riders make up about 60% of the fatalities and most of the victims are young in the prime of their lives."

He said this in his Ministry's winding-up speech during the Sarawak DUN Sitting just now.

"With the ever increasing volume of vehicles and road users, the Road Safety Council of Sarawak which is led by Ministry, is continuously reinforcing the road safety agenda though various Intervention and initiatives of the 5Es namely Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Environment and Evaluation."

These program are in line with the 5 strategic pillars of the Malaysia Road Safety Plan 20014-2020 which is to stabilize and reduce the level of road fatalities to 50% by 2020. These strategic pillars are:

1) Road safety management;

2) Mobility and safer roads;

3) Safer vehicles;

4) Safer road users; and

5) Post crash management.

"Road safety is a multi-disciplinary and- organizational effrt that ranges rom re-integration of awareness programs among target groups, re- engaging with ariuos sectors, industry players and communities, creating value added programs with NGO as well as enabling existing data to increase public awareness,' he added. - Sarawakiana