Must all drivers caught running red lights be charged in court?

 

OVER a hundred thousand summonses a year are issued for red light offences.

Between January and November last year, 44,889 were issued to car drivers, 39,468 to motorcyclists, 3,937 to lorry drivers, and 7,004 to others, making a total of 95,268 for the first eleven months of 2024.

But for every such summons issued, as many as 500 more offences were possibly unrecorded.

If so, the total number per year could exceed 50 million. If enforcement and prosecution are stepped up, 50,000 or 0.001% of the offenders could be charged in court.

This may be enough to make an example of them, but would this be fair? Also, not all cases of running red lights are equal, as they can range from cases when drivers were guilty or innocent, or due to circumstances beyond the driver’s control or there could be extenuating circumstances.

In any case, raising compound fines beyond RM300 or not allowing red light summonses to be compoundable and offenders must be charged in court is bound to increase corruption.

Many policemen in uniform, on or off duty, may be curious to find out how much bribe those caught jumping red lights are willing to offer.

A transport consultant has urged the government to haul motorists caught beating red lights to court, pointing out that the current forms of punishment have failed to deter errant road users.

He said surveillance cameras should be installed at every major intersection, with summonses issued immediately to offenders.

He said offenders have cited various reasons why they run red lights, such as lack of visibility when the sun is at the same angle which can be overcome with larger backplates especially for overhead traffic lights, unsynchronized lights, and green lights turning red too soon.

His best proposal was to have a longer duration for yellow light. If implemented, drivers would slow down or step on the brakes once the light turns yellow. Having a longer duration will give enough time for the vehicle to stop before the lights.

Drivers who refuse to slow down or step on the brakes upon seeing the light turning yellow and passing the light turning red ought to be summoned.

Without a longer duration for yellow lights, many would be caught when the vehicle ahead slows down instead of accelerating.

(Image: Reddit)

Many traffic lights in the country leave much to be desired. Take for example the first four sets of traffic lights I would pass through after leaving my relative’s house. The first is an intersection with two parallel roads from the opposite direction controlled by two different sets of lights.

Very often, the lights for my lane will not turn green even after the traffic lights for the opposite direction have turned red and green several times.

I would be stuck if the driver of the front vehicle were to wait indefinitely and refused to make a left turn, which could be done safely.

At times, I would jump the queue and take a left turn when there was no oncoming traffic and lead a long line of vehicles that had been waiting there in futility.

The next intersection is a short distance away and there are two lanes leading to the traffic lights.

The right lane is meant for vehicles heading straight and turning right, and the left lane for turning left with a left-turn sign flashing a yellow light all the time, allowing vehicles to turn left but to give way to vehicles coming from the right and opposite directions.

But many cars heading straight also occupy the left lane and will hold drivers behind wanting to turn left. Not only that, the road ahead after the intersection is often jam-packed, whereas the road after turning left is always clear, but these vehicles are stuck, frustrating the drivers.

The next set of traffic lights is at a T-junction with entry/exit at the left. When vehicles are exiting from the left, it is also safe for me to turn left even though the light is still red.

About eighty percent of drivers will make a left turn while the light is red and vehicles are exiting from the left.

At the end of the next road is another set of traffic lights. It is a T-junction where approaching vehicles can only turn left.

When the lights turn red, vehicles from the left could make a right turn and I would turn left without looking to the right as vehicles from there would have stopped.

However, if I was approaching this T-junction and the light had just turned green, I would stop because the traffic light for vehicles coming from the right would also turn green simultaneously.

The chaotic state of our traffic lights has forced me to jump red lights hundreds of times at three of the four locations described above.

But at other places, I have never jumped red lights nor was involved in collisions near traffic lights in my 55 years of driving.

Those who are observant would notice many diners park their cars too close to traffic lights for convenience but hardly any action was taken by the authorities.

So, charging all offenders caught running red lights appears disproportional. By all means, haul reckless or intoxicated motorists and motorcyclists to court for causing grievous injuries or death, and suspend or rescind their driving or riding licence if found guilty.

YS Chan is master trainer for Mesra Malaysia and Travel and Tours Enhancement Course and an Asean Tourism Master Trainer. He is also a tourism and transport business consultant.

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

- Focus Malaysia.