Bring back speed limiters for heavy vehicles

 

Dangerous commercial traffic is a trending topic because of such grim images as that of car passengers being crushed by massive shipping containers falling off lorries.

The need to securely lock down heavy cargo on lorries aside, a more fundamental insight arises from the death of more than five people killed by commercial vehicle crashes in a space of two weeks.

It is a morbid coincidence of timing that unfortunately, for policy planners,  it shows that traffic safety ambitions have so far remained elusive.

The big take-away from the recent fatalities is that they were a result of speeding and poorly-driven heavy commercial vehicles. It’s basically a result of operator error.

One proven way of influencing human behaviour is the installation of a robotic device called speed limiters in these trucks. With this gadget, the drivers can’t go over the speed limit.

Speed limiters have evolved, and high-end devices are also telemetric devices that provide driver profiles: aggressive speedsters or smooth operators.

One of the first official mentions of speed limiters was made in the 1990’s by the Malaysia Motor Traders Association (MMTA) as it was known then.

Paul David, an industry veteran formerly heading the technical and after sales division of a popular commercial vehicle brand recalls: “Speed limiters were proposed (by then transport minister) Ling Liong Sik about 20 years ago when I was serving on the committee of the MMTA.”

The MMTA, following its merger with the Malaysian Motor Vehicle Assemblers Association (MMVAA) is now the Malaysian Automotive Association.

The closest Malaysia got to speed limiters was when the road transport department mandated the installation of lights that would flash on top of the driver’s cabin when the speed limit was exceeded. But this was not effective because the policy was successfully sabotaged.

Then one company was awarded the rights to install speed limiters that would cut the engine off when there was over speeding. The industry protested that this was too dangerous. Critics also asked awkward questions about the provenance of the supplier that had been so exclusively appointed.

Once the matter reached public attention, the transport operators prevailed in their objections. That was the end of the story of speed limiters then.

A few transport ministers later, the proposal resurfaced.

Er Sui See, the former president and current Advisor to the Pan Malayan Lorry Owners Association said the association had historically supported the installation of speed limiters on heavy commercial vehicles.

“In fact, it proposed the installation of speed limiters from as far back as the early 2000’s when Chan Kong Choy was transport minister (from 2003-2008). He was keen and helped facilitate various dialogues with the authorities.

“They seemed interested, but until today, there has been no action to install speed limiters. Speed limiters are a proven effective way to prevent over- speeding and traffic crashes,” he told FMT.

A regular reader of this column, who is a manager in a global automotive company and a regular commuter on the Elite highway to KLIA, shared his critical observation of Klang Valley traffic in this context of traffic safety and commercial vehicles:

“A focus of the traffic from Putra Heights Elite northbound towards Jalan Duta NKVE toll (generally 90kmh limit) will expose the hard truth about highway driving traffic in Malaysia these days. Total disregard for rules.

“Speeding is common for the empty sand lorries, container trucks and 5-tonne lorries, and if you try to move to the fast lane, you can never drive at 90km/h speed limit without getting tailgated or honked off the road by some who are road bullies.

“Many of the lorries and buses have no lane discipline – taking up both left and centre lanes, even where ‘no overtaking zones’ in hilly areas are indicated.

This leads to tailgating, especially on the Elite stretch from Putra Heights to Ebor Selatan which is quite hilly; traffic builds up quite fast and with many driving above 100km/h, collisions are a frequent consequence.

“The time restriction on heavy commercial vehicles from 6am to 9am, is also frequently disregarded.

“On the NKVE, lane discipline is a very optimistic term. Drivers change lanes frequently and the impact is more pronounced when trucks and vans drive on lane 2 (next to the fast lane), taking up 3 to 4 lanes and dramatically reducing the capacity of the highway.

“Commercial vehicles are not properly lit or marked. The lights are broken and dirt obscures lights and reflective stickers. Sunshades and stickers on the windscreen restrict the driver’s view of traffic and the small vehicles around him.

“There are ⁠illegal modifications on small lorries to pipe out shrill exhaust tunes, there are no proper rear and side underrun protection for smaller vehicles,” he said, not quite in despair but also resigned that improvements were unlikely to the extent that he wished for.

It’s not a coincidence that countries with outstanding traffic safety records have imposed speed limiters on commercial vehicles:

• The EU mandates speed limiters for heavy goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, setting a maximum speed limit of 90km/h (approximately 56mph) for most vehicles.
• The UK requires speed limiters for heavy commercial vehicles, enforcing a maximum speed limit of 56 mph (90km/h) for goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes.
• China: speed limiters are compulsory for heavy commercial vehicles. The regulations mandate that heavy trucks (generally those over 12 tons) be equipped with electronic speed limiters. These limiters are designed to restrict the vehicle’s maximum speed, which is usually set at 80km/h (approximately 50mph) on highways.
• Australia: speed limiters are required for heavy vehicles (over 12 tons), with the maximum speed limit depending on the specific vehicle and state regulations, typically set at 100km/h (approximately 62mph) for many vehicles.
• Japan: speed limiters are mandatory for heavy trucks, with the speed limit typically set at 80km/h (approximately 50mph) on expressways and other designated roadways. These regulations aim to enhance road safety and efficiency by limiting the speed of heavy commercial vehicles.
• South Korea: the government appoints a panel of suppliers and partially subsidises the installation of speed limiters.

What’s perplexing is why previous Malaysian governments have not implemented a speed limiter policy. And more importantly, can the current government initiate a dialogue so that there’s a buy-in of all the stakeholders?

If the government is heavy-handed and imposes a law with strict penalties, then it will open the door to unhealthy practices by enforcement officials, as is already happening with drink-driving and the threat of a weekend in the lock-up.

The commercial vehicle sector, its owners and workers must be engaged and sincerely committed to a speed limiter policy for the sake of national traffic safety. - FMT

Yamin Vong can be reached at his Facebook page, yamin.com.my.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.