IGP: Drivers must take responsibility to curb fatal crashes

Summary

• IGP says despite ongoing enforcement and campaigns, drivers' attitudes remain the key factor in preventing road accidents.

• Razarudin cites recent fatal crashes as evidence that some drivers still fail to take road safety seriously, calling for stricter adherence to traffic laws.

• Authorities will continue to monitor high-risk areas, issue summonses, and propose penalties for repeat or serious traffic offenders.

Despite various measures implemented by authorities to curb road accidents and fatalities, the responsibility to prevent such incidents ultimately lies with road users themselves, said Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain.

Razarudin highlighted that the police, Transport Ministry, Road Transport Department, Road Safety Council, other government agencies, and NGOs have carried out awareness campaigns, road safety programmes, and monitoring efforts at high-risk hotspots prone to accidents.

He added that police, particularly through the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department, continuously monitor such accident-prone areas, take action against traffic offenders, issue warnings and summonses, and propose blacklisting repeat or serious offenders.

“However, the government’s efforts to reduce road accidents, particularly fatal ones, will not succeed if drivers fail to comply with the law,” he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian today.

“If carelessness, negligence, disregard for others’ safety and selfishness persist among drivers, accidents will continue to happen.

“There are also heavy vehicles like unfit lorries and buses that are still being operated by certain quarters despite being unsafe to be driven,” he added.

Razarudin reportedly pointed to the fatal crash on May 13, which claimed the lives of nine Federal Reserve Unit personnel, as a tragic lesson that some reckless drivers have yet to learn from.

He stressed that if road accidents are found to have been caused by negligence and selfishness, then appropriate punishments must be meted out under existing laws.

When asked if current penalties fail to instil awareness among errant drivers because relevant legislations are too lenient, he said the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the cabinet committee on road safety and traffic congestion, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“I believe the decisions and plans by the committee are relevant and appropriate, taking into account the state of road safety in the country,” he said.

However, he assured that the police will continue to carry out their duty in ensuring road laws are observed through constant enforcement and monitoring.

Gerik crash: Initial probe reveals bus hit MPV's rear - police

15 killed in crash between bus ferrying varsity students and MPV

Five family members killed in Jerantut car crash

RTD probing lorry company in FRU fatal crash

Lorry driver in FRU crash re-arrested over cattle theft