The drastic increase in public transport fares is like affecting the safety of road users in Malaysia as many would shift to private vehicles, especially motorcycles. The shocking fare hike - some of which exceeding 100 percent - would only make motorcycles and cars to be more attractive.

The motorcycle is known as the most dangerous form of transportation in Malaysia (and also in most low and medium income countries where motorcycles dominate the roads) with the annual statistics of more than 4,000 deaths a year, or about 60 percent of total fatalities.

In Malaysia, those killed in motorcycle crashes often involved those in lower income bracket, as well as young riders aged between 16 and 25. Various transportation studies have shown that motorcycles are preferred as they not only economical but also due to convenience, especially in the cities. Therefore, if the public transport is no better than motorcycles, we will see commuters abandoning the public transport.

While road safety experts and advocators are thinking hard to shift the motorcyclists to public transportation for better safety, the fare hike seemed to point to other direction.

In some cities in the world, the costs of public transportation are kept at minimum, or even offered for free as to discourage private vehicles and to promote safety, in addition to making the cities cleaner and greener. A city of Hasselt in Belgium is a successful evidence how free transportation could bring back the city alive after implementing the policy since 1990. Last year, the city of Tallinn in Estonia introduced free transit service for its dwellers.

The increasing usage of motor vehicles are not only polluting, but the possibly higher number of deaths and injuries may contribute to economic and social problems such as families losing their breadwinners. In addition, the injuries are a health burden for the government. The consumption of fuel would definitely increase too.

Therefore, it would be wise if the government could urge the public transport operators to review the fare hike as to benefit public transport commuters and the nation.

Malaysia is only four years away from reaching 2020, and if the high road deaths continues, it could possibly ruin our chances of achieving the developed country status. Currently, the 23 out 100,000 people are killed on the roads in Malaysia, compared to developed countries such as Sweden with only three out of 100,000 people; and five or less the UK, the Netherlands, in Australia or Japan.

And all these countries have one thing in common - their cities have cheap, safe, and reliable public transportation.

YUSOF GHANI is a researcher with the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros).