Speed offences leading to deaths down 11pct with AES cameras

PARLIAMENT | The proportion of speeding offences that led to incidents of deaths have fallen from 24 percent to 13 percent following the introducing of the Automated Enforcement System (AES) cameras.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said this in the Dewan Rakyat today in response to a question from Hasbullah Osman (BN-Gerik) on the effectiveness of the system.

"In terms of how effective it is in reducing road accidents, according to a study by Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), the reduction in the percentage of drivers committing speeding offences that led to deaths was from 24 percent to 13 percent.

"There is also an increase in terms of compliance of drivers to speed limit, from 63 percent to 65 percent in areas where the cameras are installed," Loke said.

Hasbullah had also asked how many additional cameras the new Pakatan Harapan government had installed, to which Loke said there were none and all existing cameras were installed by the previous government.

The BN lawmaker had asked the government to justify why it was no longer offering discounts for the AES summonses, which he said would burden the people.

'Gov't has to take a tough position'

To this, Loke said the government has to take a tough position so as to be fair to those who pay their summonses on time.

"We have given an amnesty for more than four million summonses issued since 2012... is that not to help those who are being burdened by outstanding summonses?

"Beginning Sept 1 last year, we have made clear our firm position that there will no longer be discounts so as to be fair to those who abide by the law and pay their summonses on time.

"If we keep giving discounts, people will know that the government is not firm and they would wait until there are discounts before paying their summonses," he said.

On a separate matter, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PAS-Kubang Kerian) asked if the government intended to address the overlapping agencies that enforce traffic rules.

"Sometimes users get summonses from two or three agencies... does the government intend to streamline and combine all those agencies so that there are no redundancies?" Tuan Ibrahim asked.

To this, Loke said it was a "good" suggestion which the government was working on and a study was being conducted.

"I hope when it comes to the implementation later on, Kubang Kerian and others in the opposition will give their full support.

"We agree that it should be streamlined so that the people are not confused by the various enforcement agencies," Loke added. - Mkini