Road Safety- Foolishly Flawed Logic

Police Notice

First the Factual Fairy Tale Fantasy!

A Fine Sale!

Malaysian Police to halve compounded fines for traffic summonses

Effective 1^st July 2008, the Malaysian police will give a 50% discount on the compounded fines for traffic summonses, except those for serious offences, said Federal Police traffic chief Senior Asst Comm II Datuk Hamza Taib, the logic being to ease the financial burden on the lower income group after the recent price rise in petroleum and food items.

Evidently, this discount is applicable for those who receive a summons on-the-spot and pay the compounded fine before or on the last day of the 30-day deadline.

“Offenders who have yet to pay their summons and have not received letters summoning them to court are eligible for a 30% discount".

“Those who have received the court summons are not eligible for any discount,” he told reporters Monday at the Traffic Police Headquarters, at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.

Traffic offenders receiving their summons via the post will be eligible for a 30% discount regardless of when the summons was issued.

He said the discount offer was ongoing and no deadline had been set.

When he was asked if the discounts would encourage motorists to flout traffic laws, he said 'the police were confident the gesture would spur them to learn from their mistakes and not repeat them.'

“Even before this, the rich might not think much of paying a RM300 fine. Our focus is to try and ease the burden on the lower- and middle-class group,” he said.

He added that about 12,000 traffic summonses for various offences were issued every day nationwide.

What a ill-conceived crazy idea, this will certainly not help to improve road safety, in fact it may even encourage more speeding, recklessness and dangerous driving!!!!!!!

Meanwhile, back in the real world………..the carnage continues:

The Carnage in Puchong

Man killed when articulated lorry hits 14 vehicles, leaving trail of death, injury and destruction, in the 13:45 incident on Monday 30th June 2008, all hell broke loose when an 18-wheel loaded articulated lorry heading towards Puchong Jaya from Kinrara was said to have been speeding and lthen the driver ost control and rammed into a traffic light before ploughing into seven cars, two lorries and five motorcycles.

The lorry driver is believed to have jumped a red traffic light signal at speed, losing control of the heavy lorry as he swerved to avoid a traffic island ahead of the traffic lights.

The articulated lorry atop the crushed car

The lorry then smashed into an oncoming car driven by Myanmar national, Nyu Kyaw Lin, 58, a refugee.

The car was crushed as it went under the lorry, killing Nyu instantly, and was then dragged along by the lorry for about 50 metres.

A police spokesman said it took fire and rescue department personnel 30 minutes to extricate the deceased from the wreckage.

“There were about 20 vehicles waiting at the traffic light when we were hit by the trailer,” an eyewitness was reported as saying.

A driver said he heard a loud crash and felt a strong impact, before his car was flung forward.

The accident caused several cars and motorcycles to be crushed and dragged along by the lorry.

Some news reports said that the four persons who were seriously injured were motorcyclists, others said two were from motor cars, and two were motor cyclists.

The Driver of 18-wheel Articulated Lorry who caused a 14 vehicle crash to be Charged.

The police are going to charge the lorry driver, who smashed into 14 vehicles and killed one person, with causing death by reckless driving.

Selangor traffic police chief Supt Che Hussin Omar said the 64-year-old driver is currently being treated in the Serdang Hospital and would be arrested after he was discharged.

"Based on witness accounts, the driver was speeding before smashing into the vehicles at the junction.”

He would be investigated under Section 41 of the Road Transport Act, 1987, for causing death by reckless or dangerous driving.

Police Supt. Che Hussin said the four patients currently were being treated at the Serdang Hospital were all in a serious but stable condition.

Meanwhile, the Carnage Continues Unabated

The carnage on the roads and highways of Malaysia still continues virtually unchecked, some drivers flaunt traffic rules and regulations with apparent impunity, even immunity.

The Solutions are Simple, but, when will the authorities act?

Have efficient training and strict driving tests for all motorists, and special comprehensive courses and strict driving tests for the issuance of Commercial Driving Licences, Heavy Goods Vehicle licenses and Public Service Vehicle Licenses for buses and coaches, which should only be issued to those with adequate experience, good health and a clean motorcar driving license

The current methods of training are too superficial and and the various stages of all driving tests are far too easy to pass.

Eradicate bribery and corruption.

Implement strict zero tolerance enforcement, without fear or favour around the clock, seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year.

Fit all buses with on-board tachometers, in which are place driver-specific recording tachograph charts, which continuously record speeds, stopping times, etc.

There has been a recent announcement that it will be compulsory at the end of 2008, for all buses to be fitted with GPS devices, which will send signals to the respective bus company regarding the bus's whereabouts, speed, etc., this to me is a pie-in-the sky idea, which is doomed to failure.

Can you remember that the KLIA Taxis (Limos) had these initially, but soon they became defunct!!!! Now they cannot be seen at all.

The same thing happened for the amber speed indicating lights which indicated speeding (over 90 km/h) of small commercial vehicles!

Unless and until positive and sensible things are implemented nothing will ever change!

The Carnage will Continue on the Roads and Highways of Malaysia.

Bullshit doesn't baffle anyone in Malaysia any more!

ANOTHER FATAL BUS CRASH IN MALAYSIA

Dying on Malaysia's Roads and Highways is Easy
The Authorities Turn Blind Eyes
Whilst the Relatives Cry
Carnage Rules
Bloody Fools
No Highway Code
Life Must Be Cheap
All the Victims Families Weep
Whilst the Authorities Sleep!

Two people were killed and seven others seriously injured on Tuesday, 24th June 2008, when the express bus they were passengers in crashed at kilometre 406 of the North-South Toll Highway, near Lembah Beringin, in Selangor state.


In the accident which occurred at about 1pm, when the Singapore-bound bus was believed to be driven at a high speed, causing it to skid and crash into a road divider before landing on its side in the middle of the road, it was reported to have been raining at the time.



The maximum speed permitted for buses in Malaysia [on highways] is 90 km/hour, but it is very common to see them overtaking other vehicles at speeds far exceeding the maximum speed limit for cars which is 110 km/ hour.



Two of the 18 bus passengers were killed at the scene of the incident, when they were pinned under the bus. The injured passengers were taken to the Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital.


The Selangor traffic police chief Supt Che Hussin Omar, confirmed that the fatal accident had occurred.

The driver aged 44, has, according to the police who were quoted in media reports, an outstanding arrest warrant and three traffic summonses.

What are some of the main causes of bus crashes in Malaysia?

• Reckless and dangerous driving.
• Inexperience and poorly trained drivers.
• Low standard of Driving Tests.
• Total disregard for the law.
• Almost zero enforcement.
• Bribery and corruption.
• Bus operators who pay drivers commission depending upon the number of trips they complete daily.
• Poorly maintained buses.

All of the above are easy to rectify, but the federal government seems to be totally disinterested in such trivialities!


In his ordo est ordinem non servare


- In this case the only rule is not obeying any rules


Diligentia maximum etiam mediocris ingeni subsidium



- Diligence is a very great help even to a mediocre intelligence.

OVERLOAD YOUR VEHICLE WITH IMPUNITY says MALAYSIAN MOT

All aboard! In Malaysia 'semua boleh'! (In Malaysia anything goes)

In Malaysia no enforcement action will be taken if the number of rear seat passengers in a car exceeds the number of rear seat belts available.

Minister of Transport Ong Tee Keat said this was because each vehicle only had three rear seat belts installed as required by the government. Wow! What an observant chap he is.

I personally have never seen any standard saloon car with seats for more than three persons at the back

He was reported by BERNAMA to have said on 17^th June 2008.

"We are aware of such cases involving families with more than three children each and it's the only car they can afford to have. We understand this.

"We will not take action if the fourth rear passenger is not wearing a seat belt. But our position in this matter should not encourage people to overload their vehicles."

Enforcement is something that is patchy at best in Malaysia, drivers of all vehicles, including public service vehicles are virtually free to drive as they wish, ignoring speed limits, and any other restrictions.

Regarding the maximum number of passenger permitted to be carried, don’t the motor vehicle insurers and also the vehicle manufacturers specify the maximum number of passengers any vehicle can accommodate?

In some areas, Malaysia has almost first world infrastructure, but still has many people with a third world mentality, including apparently some of Malaysia’s ministers, for example the Minister of Transport!

How shameful and embarrassing.

Qui tacet consentit

- Silence gives consent

Another fatal bus crash in Malaysia

An Express Bus with 32 Outstanding Traffic Summonses in Fatal Crash

A man was killed and the driver was critically injured when a Butterworth to Kuala Lumpur express bus carrying 26 passengers turned turtle and landed in a ditch at the side of the North-South Highway near Slim River on 11^th June 2008 at about 4:15pm, the remaining 25 passengers were injured.

An unidentified man was trapped at the back of the bus and Fire and Rescue Department personnel had to extricate his body from the wrecked vehicle.

The bus driver Abdul Manaf Hamid, 44 year of age, was critically injured and was taken the Slim River Hospital.

The impact of the crash ripped of the whole roof of the 'Super Nice' bus, which had 32 outstanding traffic summonses issued against it.

Tanjung Malim OCPD Superintendent Mohd Ali Mat Nayan was reported as saying :-

"Initial investigations showed that the driver had lost control of the vehicle."

“However, we cannot confirm the cause of the accident as we have yet to record statements from the driver."

“The driver also had traffic summonses issued against him but they had all been settled."

UPDATE: 13th June 2008.

Police have determined that the driver of a Super Nice bus was speeding moments before the vehicle turned turtle and crashing in to a ditch, killing a passenger, Perak traffic chief Supt Wan Abdullah Ishak said.

The passenger who was killed a 26 year old man Muhammad Ziahulhaa Mohaidin

When will they ever learn!

And yet another fatal bus crash in Malaysia

A 65-year-old bus driver was killed on the spot after his vehicle collided with a four-wheel-drive at Kilometre 74 of the Kampung Raja / Tanah Rata road at Kuala Terla, Cameron Highlands on 9^th June 2008 at about 11:30.

The bus was travelling downhill when the diver lost control and the bus crashed into a 4 x 4 which was going uphill in the opposite lane.

Cameron Highlands district police chief DSP Yahaya Othman was reported as saying that the 4 x 4 driver, identified as Mohd Zaini Shuib, 31, suffered a fractured arm and minor cuts and was admitted to hospital.

The seven passengers who were on the bus escaped with various injuries.

When will they ever learn?

Another Fatal Bus Crash in Malaysia

The Express Bus after Recovery from the River

A Malaysian 'Transnasional' express bus plunged into a river near Kampung Bapong Relong, a village near Kuala Lipis, Pahang at about 08:30 on Sunday 8^th June 2008, killing the driver and co-driver.

Three passengers were seriously injured, and 16 others suffered minor injuries. All the injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Temerloh and Kuala Lipis for treatment.

Evidently the driver lost control of the vehicle, which swerved, crashed into a bus-stop on the other side of the road before skidding and hitting a concrete barrier, coming to an eventual halt in a five metre deep river.

Kuala Lipis acting police chief D S P Abdul Razak Hassan was reported as saying that initial investigations had shown that the driver had been speeding.

What is new, the carnage continues unabated on the roads and highways in Malaysia.

Apparently the authorities still have their thumbs up their bums and their brains in neutral!

How many more lives have to be sacrificed in road accidents before something positive is done to prevent them?

Action is required from the authorities, especially the TRAFFIC POLICE, who give the impression of:

Tardiness, Reticence, Apathetic Flip-Flopping, Ineffective Coverage

Procrastination, Obliviousness, Lackadaisical Indifference, Complaisant Effortlessness

In his ordo est ordinem non servare

- In this case the only rule is not obeying any rules

Talking About Road Safety in Malaysia

Keep Death off the Roads

Who is talking about road safety in Malaysia?

There are lots of organisations and members of these organisation takling about road safety in Malaysia, but alas none of them seem to be serious about doing anything positive to reduce the carnage on the roads and highways.

Organisations in Malaysia are, for example:

Government

Under the Ministry of Transport

Road Safety Department, Malaysia

Road Transport Department (JPJ)

Under the Ministry of Home Affairs

Royal Malaysian Police (Traffic Police Division)

Others:

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS)

Road Safety Research Centre (RSRC) University Putra Malaysia (UPM)

There is also the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM)

All of the above have road safety campaigns, all talk a lot, do research, collect statistics, all hold public awareness events, there are adverts in the media, and one thing which each and everyone of them does really well is to talk and talk and talk. The enforcement agencies do sporadic, and selective enforcement, which is ineffective.

Serious action is needed, not idle incessant talking and unproductive pie in the sky research which never gets further than that.

Enforcement should be 24/7 throughout the entire the year, and should be carried out strictly without fear or favour.

It is simple, what is needed unrelenting, strict unform enforcement on everyone who violates the traffic laws.

If this is done, the accident rate and the resulting accidents, damage, loss of lives and injuries will drop dramatically.

There must not be discounts on unpaid traffic offence tickets, as has been the case up to now.

Corruption must be eradicated, both in the enforcement units and also in the vehicle inspection monopoly PUSPAKOM, which has the job of inspecting taxis, buses and all commercial vehicles for road worthiness and general safety.

It is obvious that PUSPAKOM is failing in it's task, as one sees so many sub-standard buses, taxis and commercial vehicles on Malaysia's roads.

Public awareness, education and other road safety training, especially for children is also vital.

The Malaysian driving school curriculum's and teaching standards should be beefed up and the driving test needs to be more comprehensive, thorough and incorruptible.

There is also a dire need for better road markings, well sited and large enough signboards, better lighting, properly designed road junctions and also effective repairs, maintenance and drainage on all roads and highways.

So, if the empty talk, endemic corruption, institutional complaisance and general malaise ends, we may very soon see safer roads and highways in Malaysia, if the status qua remains, then SNAFU!

Drive safely folks, drive defensively and watch out for others.

Remember this:-

When driving ensure that you never purposely do anything that forces another driver to take evasive action.

It's better to be late than late!!!

Happy motoring everyone.

Enjoy your weekend.

Quemadmoeum gladis nemeinum occidit, occidentis telum est

- A sword is never a killer, it's a tool in the killer's hands.

Can Concrete Save Lives on Highways

[Britpave photo]

YES IT CAN

CONCRETE CENTRAL HIGHWAY BARRIERS LIKE THIS ONE CAN PREVENT DEATHS

A British transport lobby group has claimed the number of deaths in a crash on the M5 Motorway in England could have been reduced if the central barrier was made of concrete instead of steel/

A recent tragic accident on the M5 killed a couple from Coventry in a crash near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.

A van which smashed through the metal central reservation steel barrier would have been stopped by a concrete one, Britpave said.

The UK Highways Agency said a programme to replace motorway steel barriers with concrete had been on-going since 2005.

Steve Elliot from Britpave said:

"Concrete barriers have been proven through tests to show they can stop a 13-tonne coach from crashing through.”

"What crashed through on the M5 was a lightweight VW van.”

"Steel barriers are unable to stop that, let alone lorry traffic. This is why we are lobbying for concrete barriers on the motorway because they can stop these tragic accidents happening."

In Malaysia, in view of the high death rate on Malaysia’s roads and highways, the authorities should look into the use of properly designed, tested and proven concrete barriers built in-situ on the central reservation to separate the traffic.

This is even more vital now, as due to the widening of highways by adding a third lane, there is often a very narrow central reservation and only flimsy steel crash barriers separating traffic travelling in opposite directions.

See the BBC news report HERE

For information about the British In-situ Concrete Paving Association (Britpave) click HERE

To learn more about concrete highway barriers HERE

Erum cognoscere causas

- To learn the causes of things

Carnage on the Roads, Tapir Road Kill

FROM THIS

AND THIS


TO

THIS

The Carnage on the Roads of Malaysia Continues

The sickening sight of a Malayan tapir or Asian tapir (Tapirus indicus) lying motionless (see above picture) on the road side slowed the traffic to a crawl along the Kuantan to Kemaman, on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, yesterday, 15 February 2008.

The young adult Tapir, weighing an estimated 250 kg, was killed, when it was hit by a vehicle, whilst the gentle animal was attempting to cross the road.

The animal’s body had been mutilated, and it its tail, right ear and tongue were missing; some bastard had cut off these body parts after the animal was run over.

The body parts of a tapir are not known to have value either as exotic food or as ingredients for traditional medicines, but who knows what was in the tiny mind of the apology for a human being who mutilated this Malayan Tapir, which is a vulnerable endangered species

Malayan or Asian tapir.

Physical characteristics:

This species of tapir is 6 to 10 feet (1.85 to 2.50 meters) long with a tail measuring 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters). They weigh 550 to 825 pounds (250 to 375 kilograms) and have a shoulder height of 35 to 41 inches (90 to 105 centimeters). This large tapir has a black coat except for the rear half above the legs, which is white.

Geographic range:

Malayan tapirs are found in Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Classification

Order: Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates)

Family: Tapiridae (tapirs)

Genus: Tapirus (tapirs)

Status

Classified as Vulnerable (VU A2c+3c+4c) on the IUCN Red List 2004, and listed on Appendix I of CITES .

Habitat:

Malayan tapirs live in the lowland forests of swamps and mountains up to an elevation of 6,560 feet (2,000 meters). This species needs a permanent water source with plenty of water for drinking and bathing. Highest populations are found in swamps and lowland forests.

Widely abundant in Southern Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia in the early 1930s, Asian tapir populations have rapidly declined and now survive only as isolated populations in remote or protected areas.

Habitat destruction poses the predominant threat, as a result of land being cleared for human settlement and agriculture, and rivers being dammed and land flooded for hydroelectric development.

In Sumatra, uncontrolled illegal logging still occurs.

The tapir population is strongest in Malaysia, where deforestation had declined somewhat in the recent past, however the cutting of virgin forests for hardwood logs has increased in the past few years, so the habitat of the Malayan tapir is becoming severely threatened once again..

The Asian tapir is hunted both for food and for sport. Although the flesh of tapirs was previously forbidden (haram) to Muslims areas due to the species' resemblance to pigs , very recent reports indicate that Muslims no longer equate the two and thus more people hunt them for subsistence food.

In Thailand and Myanmar the meat is considered distasteful and some tribes believe killing a tapir brings bad luck.

However, a flourishing Asian zoo trade has put a tempting price on the tapir's head, with a single animal fetching up to US$ 6,000.

Tapirs also occasionally get trapped in steel wire snares set for wild boars.

Low reproductive rate, coupled with fragmented distribution of Malayan tapirs mean that populations have a low recovery potential, and this makes the species particularly vulnerable when they are hunted or trapped, or are killed when crossing roads and highways.

Roads and Highways in Malaysia and other countries in Asia do not provide alternative crossing paths (tunnels or bridges) for wildlife to use to enable them to cross safely. Road kill is common, the victims apart apart from tapir, include, wildlife such as replitles, primates, small, medium and large mammals, and of course many types of domesticated animals and pets.

Is life, even human life, considered to be so cheap?

The relentless carnage on the roads and highways in Malaysia clearly indicates this may be true.

My post Carnage on Malaysia's Roads can be found here.

Pura Vida!

Carnage on Malaysia's Roads

Who is correct, the Transport Minister, or the Federal Traffic Police Chief?

Read the news reports below:-

STAR, Thursday 7 February 2008

“Fewer fatalities on the road this festive season

By JANE RITIKOS

KUALA LUMPUR: If the present traffic trend continues until Ops Sikap ends on Feb 14, there will finally be a reduction in the number of fatalities on the road during the festive season.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said that up till the seventh day (Wednesday) of Ops Sikap XVI, the number of deaths on the roads had shown a downward trend, and he is praying this will continue.

The traffic flow at highways has also been smooth despite the traffic volume tripling.

"So far, the number of deaths until (Wednesday) has generally been below the average number of 17 fatalities. Sometimes it is five, seven, 10 deaths daily nationwide but we are just halfway through Ops Sikap.”

BERNAMA, Thursday 7 February 2008.

“Road Deaths Double on Chinese New Years Eve

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 (Bernama) -- The number of people killed due to road accidents nationwide doubled on the eve of the Chinese New Year.

Federal Traffic Police Chief Datuk Hamza Taib said 26 people died on the seventh day of Ops Sikap XVI yesterday compared to only 13 on Tuesday.

Sixteen of the dead were motorcyclists, five were car drivers and passengers, three bicycle riders and a pedestrian and lorry driver.

Hamza also said 1,162 road crashes were reported yesterday and nearly half of them occurred along municipal roads, followed by federal roads with 311, state roads 196, highways 107 and other roads 47.

Meanwhile, 10,203 summonses were issued to the road users for various traffic offences.

-- BERNAMA”

There is something seriously amiss with safety on the roads and highways of Malaysia, this carnage is clearly caused by a combination of:

Inadequate signage, sub-standard maintenance, poor road design, bad driving (for example: speeding, recklessness, inconsideration for other road users, carelessness) also plays a part, as does patchy and inconsistent enforcement.

The solution?

Quite simple,

1. Far less talking about road safety, and more dedicated work.

2. Immediate implementation of 24 / 7 strict and universal enforcement, to eliminate all speeding, reckless and careless driving by anyone and everyone, without exception.

3. Ensuring that all roads and highways are well designed and built, and always properly maintained.

4. Ensuring that all traffic lights, road signs, etc., are of standard size, colour and design, and are properly located and are installed at the correct hight to ensure they are clearly visible.

5. The training and examination of all drivers needs to be upgraded.

KEEPING DEATH OFF THE ROADS INVOLVES EVERYONE.

PLEASE HELP TO ENSURE ROAD SAFETY IS A REALITY NOT A DREAM!

L'chaim!

Road Deaths Double On Chinese New Year's Eve