No problem? I though safety is priceless ... (VIDEOS OF INCIDENT)

12 killed and dozens injured

Tay Tian Yan

They said the bus had gone through proper maintenance, and there was no problem with the bus. They said the tyres were very new. No problem with the tyres. They said the express bus company's records were excellent. No problem with the company. They said the road conditions were satisfactory. No problem with road conditions. They also said the bus driver had no serious traffic offence records. No problem with the driver even. BANG!! A road accident claimed the precious lives of 12 and injured many others. I thought there was no problem at all?


That couldn't be possible, otherwise how could so many lives be wiped out by road accidents each year?

The fatal accident involving an express bus last year took 16 lives, the year before 12, and the year before that 20...

The problem will only surface when we are on the highway.

While cruising at 110kph on the highway, you might occasionally find an express bus whizzing past you, often accompanied by a thick pall of exhaust smoke.

When you start to collect your senses again, you would probably notice "Had Laju 90km/jam" clearly marked on the rear of the bus. Based on your estimates, the bus could have travelled at 120, or probably 130 or even 140...

The bus even added a reminder: If I drive carelessly, please call XXXX XXXX.

Occasionally you would call up that number to lodge a complaint out of frustration, but the other end of the line is often engaged and unanswered.

I have never driven a bus before, but experienced people told me a bus needs some extra skills to manoeuvre, not something an ordinary driver can handle easily. Even a pro driver needs to be in excellent physical and mental conditions before he can safely handle the monster.

The weight and speed of a bus will add to the acceleration momentum, which does not allow the bus to come to an instant halt after the brake is applied. The faster the bus moves, the harder will it come to a complete stop within a very short distance.

The height of a bus also makes it easy to lose its balance. A sharp turn at high speed will easily tip the bus off.

We do not need a Schumacher to go behind the wheels, but the driver must exercise a fair amount of steadiness, patience and a great deal of responsibility.

Buses are the most dangerous form of transportation in Malaysia, but they are often the safest in more civilised nations.

I took a two-day long bus trip in Europe many years ago from London to Copenhagen. The bus driver was manning his vehicle at a steady speed of between 60 and 80kph, not any faster even though the road conditions were perfect. An assistant would take over after every few hours, and both the bus and drivers would be changed after arriving at a major terminus.

The bus came to a standstill in Holland due to heavy traffic, but while the passengers onboard were excessively anxious, the driver insisted to move on a slow albeit steady speed.

I eventually missed my flight and had to purchase another ticket because of that.

As soon as I came back to Malaysia, I wrote a letter to the bus company and later received a cheque from the bus company to compensate my air fare. No questions asked.

Safety is PRICELESS!

- Sin Chew Daily