BUKIT LANJAN: Damn it! Malaysian drivers don’t value road safety and their lives

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Malaysia: It Is Now Illegal To Even Hold Your Phone While Driving
Bythecinnaboy
Posted on June 30, 2016
Pissed off because the car in front of you are dangerously texting someone while driving? Well good news for you because the police will not tolerate such behaviour any longer. Federal traffic investigation and enforcement department director SAC Datuk Mahamad Akhir Darus said police are not taking the matter lightly and will crack down on such motorists. “Motorists caught holding a mobile phone while driving will be issued a summons. This includes using handphones while waiting at traffic lights or in traffic jams. Unlike criminal cases where the onus is on us to prove one’s guilt, this is a compound summons and it is up to the offenders to prove otherwise if they wish to dispute their case,” he told theSun … for more, go to https://thecoverage.my/news/malaysia-now-illegal-even-hold-phone-driving/

BUKIT LANJAN: Damn it! Malaysian drivers don’t value road safety and their lives

The survey statistics are mind boggling. It shows a significant large number of Malaysians do not value road safety and their own lives.

National news agency Bernama reported that 43% of Malaysians use hand phones when driving or riding. And that 53% Malaysians even send text messages while driving.

Police booked more than 46,000 Malaysians for using handphones while driving last year.

“If that is not endangering themselves and other road users, you can call me stupid,” Gerakan Deputy Speaker Syed Abdul Razzak Alsagoff said.

He said Malaysians not only appear to be non-law abiding when on the road, they are also filthy rich to take risks and pay compound fines.

“Perhaps the fines are too low? Raise them to RM1,000 and then we will see whether such errant drivers will continue to flout the law and endanger themselves and others on the road,” he added.

These days, even motorcycle riders have developed the skill to reply messages, even when they are speeding on the highway.

Syed Razak, who is Gerakan’s nominee to contest N.37 Bukit Lanjan in the coming 14th General Election (GE14), said the situation would continue to deteriorate and turn Malaysian roads into “killing fields”.

He urged all relevant enforcement authorities and psychologists to brainstorm and find a more effective deterrent to stop Malaysians from using, or even worse texting, while driving or riding.

Here are two reports posted by online news portal Free Malaysia Today on the issue:

"You can’t change habits — 43% use handphones when driving or riding

Bernama
| November 12, 2017

A Miros survey shows 53% of drivers even send text messages while driving.
PUTRAJAYA: A study carried out by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) has found that the majority of Malaysian drivers use their mobile phones, contributing to road accidents.

Its chairman, Lee Lam Thye, said the majority of Malaysians agreed that the use of mobile phones while driving could pose dangers to themselves and other road users but they were still doing it.

In last year’s study, carried out on 300 random responders in the Klang Valley, Miros found that 43.4% of road users were regularly using mobile phones while driving cars or riding motorcycles.

“The study also found 53.6% of drivers use mobile phones when they are caught in traffic congestion; 53% of drivers send text messages while driving at least one to three times a week and 61.7% of drivers receive or make phone calls while driving at least one to three times a week.”

Lee gave these figures after launching the 2017 Road Safety Run, jointly organised by Miros and Uber in conjunction with Miros’ 10th anniversary here today.

He also felt that despite being aware of the dangers, the respondents were still reluctant to change their attitudes, lacked discipline and were stubborn. As such, they posed a risk to other road users.

“I think enforcement by the Road Transport Department and police should be intensified to ensure drivers adhere to the laws,” he said.

46,000 summonses issued last year for using handphones while driving

Minderjeet Kaur
| January 10, 2017

Minister in Prime Minister's department Nancy Shukri calls for tougher penalties, making the sentences on par with those found guilty of drink driving.
BALAKONG: Minister in the Prime Minister’s department Nancy Shukri wants stiffer penalties for motorists using handphones while driving after statistics showed that more than 46,000 summonses on the traffic offence were issued by police last year.

She said the penalties for using handphones while driving should be the same as those imposed on drunk drivers.

Currently the maximum fine for using a handphone while driving is a RM300 fine while the penalty for drink driving is a fine of up to RM2,000, and imprisonment.

“This is a serious offence. People’s lives could be lost in a moment’s distraction,” she said after visiting the Rapid Bus Complex here today.

She was asked if heavier penalities, the same imposed for drink driving, should be meted out to those found using a handphone while driving.

“This matter needs to be relooked. People need to know it could end in tragedy if their eyes are not on the road,” Nancy said.

There have been dozens of accidents caused by drivers on handphones with police saying the problem had gotten worse over the years, especially with the advent of messaging apps like WhatsApp.

Police have also said many motorists and motorcyclists were constantly using their phones while on the road, especially during traffic jams.

Nancy urged the various authorities to review the penalties which she added would serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders."

N.37 LET BUKIT LANJAN SOAR WITH SYED ABDUL RAZAK ALSAGOFF