Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) chairman Wong Shaw Voon said educational campaigns and road engineering improvements often take longer to show results.
He said successful enforcement must be “sure, swift and severe”, as drivers must be certain they would be caught, be issued their summonses promptly, and face penalties if they were to break the traffic rules.
“Education requires time. When you tell people again and again — “please understand, it’s dangerous” — some may change immediately, some may take longer, and some may not bother at all,” he told FMT.
“Engineering solutions, like better cars or roads, also work, but the effect is gradual. Enforcement delivers immediate results. You can really see the effect, and that is why enforcement plays such an important role.
“In a way, it also educates the drivers because they pay the price. Not necessarily by killing or getting killed, but through penalties that push them to change their behaviour — in this case, speeding,” he added.
Wong’s remarks came in the wake of a crash at KM13.4 of Jalan Genting Highlands just past midnight on Oct 5, where a 24-year-old driver lost control of his car, veered off the road and hit the divider.
A 29-second video of the incident showed a black vehicle speeding and weaving through traffic prior to crashing. The man was unharmed, but his car was badly damaged.
Head of the Road Safety Research Centre at University Putra Malaysia Law Teik Hua said besides stepping up traditional enforcement activities, police could keep a watchful eye out for groups on social media that promote irresponsible thrill driving.
“With data corresponding with road accident statistics and road traffic patterns, activities can be more effectively prioritised in critical areas,” Law told FMT. - FMT
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