The increase in fuel prices over the past few months will likely force car drivers to tighten their belt by switching to motorcycles, which will likely cause more motorcycle fatalities, warned Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong.

The right approach, he argued, would be to ensure adequate and accessible public transport nationwide to reduce the need for using motorcycles.

"Research has shown that motorcycle fatalities shot up as a result of the March 2006 and June 2008 fuel hikes as the lower income group switched transport modes from cars to motorcycles.

"Motorcycle deaths are 3 times higher than car fatalities, 6 times higher than pedestrian fatalities and nearly 50 times higher than bus passenger fatalities.