Expert: Enforcement, not age, key to curbing high accident rate

Karen Goonting says road safety education also needs to be consistently carried out.

High accident rates are recorded among those aged between 16 and 25. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: An expert warns that reviewing the minimum age for drivers will not curb the high accident rate without strict enforcement and proper road safety education.

Road safety consultant Karen Goonting said globally, the highest road fatalities were recorded among motorists aged between 16 and 25.

Karen Goonting

“It is not a recent occurrence but has been the case for decades since we first had cars. What we should do is to have better enforcement.

“By the time you are 16, the part of the brain called the limbic system, which controls things like pleasure, pain and anger, is fully developed.

“But the ‘handbrake’ part that tells you that you shouldn’t drive so fast because it is dangerous, which is at the prefrontal cortex, just behind your forehead, does not really mature until you are 26 years old.

“This is why we have the consistent statistics over many decades in all countries. It is because of physiological reasons,” Goonting said.

She was commenting on a recent statement by Transport Minister Anthony Loke, who said he would be seeking the views of the public regarding the minimum age for obtaining a driving licence before coming to any decision on the matter.

Loke said statistics showed that 7,152 road fatalities were reported in 2016. They included 1,161 deaths of those aged between 16 and 20, and about 1,000 others aged between 21 and 25.

He said the biggest contributors to the accident rate were motorcyclists and pillion riders, who made up about 60%.

Goonting said globally, enforcement and education were used to reduce the risk of accidents.

“And the education goes on and on, and it does not stop. That is what we are supposed to do in Malaysia, don’t stop.

“We need a never-ending advocacy method. We also need parents to be on board, even though children learn at school – it starts at home.

“Children will follow what they see, including if the parents are breaking the rules. You follow your role model,” she told FMT.

Goonting said most people refrained from breaking the law as they did not want to get summonses, but the actual message of road safety education should be that following the law would save your life.

“Education is the key, it has to be maintained and consistently carried out so we can tackle the issue.”

Goonting added that many Malaysians drove dangerously and it would take time to change their habits.

“We need greater enforcement and the trick is to keep it consistent. When it is constantly practised, that’s how we get rid of the bad habits and become better drivers.” -FMT