THE CARNAGE ON MALAYSIA’S HIGHWAYS CONTINUES UNABATED

It was reported today, Sunday 17 Feb. 2008, that a toddler, aged five months, and his grandmother were killed when the car they were travelling in was involved in a four-car pile-up at km 276, that is north of Seremban, on the North-South Highway in the southbound lane, late on Friday night. (15th February 2008).

M. Sanjev Raj was in the arms of her grandmother M. Mariayee, 49, who was in the passenger seat of the Toyota Vios when the accident occurred at about 11.30pm.

They were believed to have been seriously injured after hitting the dashboard. Mariayee was then flung out of the car while Sanjev fell to the floor in front of the seat. They both died on the way to hospital.

It is understood that the Toyota Vios was hit from behind by a Toyota Camry and in turn rammed into the Honda CRV in front, which then hit a Proton Waja, the Vios then spun and the Camry burst into flames.

The toddler's parents, C. Maniraj, 35, and I. Radha, 30, escaped unhurt.

State traffic police chief ASP Abdul Halil Hamzah had stated that the driver and passenger of the Totota Camry had been admitted to a private hospital at Seremban with minor injuries.

I know that the ambulances and other emergency vehicles on the way to this accident were impeded by other vehicles which were using the emergency lane and thus were blocking it, and were preventing emergency vehicles reaching the scene of the accident quickly.

The ignorant, inconsiderate, selfish drivers of these vehicles may well bear a great measure of responsibility for the deaths of a grandmother and her five month old grandchild.
I wonder if anyone will be charged with any offences connected with this blockage of the emergency lane, most likely they will not be!

They certainly should be charged (how about involuntary manslaughter? (criminally negligent homicide), prosecuted and if found guilty, should be punished to the full extent of the law.

Where is the enforcement? If the police patrolled the roads and highways effectively ensuring that drivers drove with due care and attention, didn't over speed and race, were not reckless, didn't talk on hand held mobile phones, wore seatbelts, fitted baby seats, and so on, then the carnage on Malaysia's roads and highways would be reduced and be, in due time assigned to history.

How many more lives have to be sacrificed before something effective will be done, just talking about road safety is pointless, so are periodic half hearted campaigns centred on holidays.

Will there be no end to the carnage on the roads and highways of Malaysia?

Based on the past experience, nothing will change, express buses will still speed at over 110 km/hr with impunity, when their speed limit is a maximum of 90 km/hr as will heavy goods vehicles, private cars and motor cycles, and numerous other offences will be commonplace, what a shame!

ROAD SAFETY IS EVERY ONES RESPONSIBILITY, ISN'T IT?

Gezondheid!