Delivery companies bear responsibility for reckless riders, says expert

 

Riders should be given first reminders, followed by cutting their monthly incentives and finally termination, if they don’t comply with traffic rules.

PETALING JAYA: A road safety expert says food and package delivery service companies should monitor their riders and take action against those reported to be speeding and breaking other traffic rules when on the job.

This comes as the police say 3,118 motorcyclists died last year. According to the police, most of them were food delivery riders who were found to have committed various traffic offences, including running a red light.

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) board member Wong Shaw Voon said information technology specialists employed by delivery companies could monitor the riders.

“These teams can manage the safety of riders by checking from their data if riders are speeding. It should be the responsibility of the company to ensure riders are safe,” he told FMT.

Riders who speed and beat traffic lights are endangering not only their own lives but also that of others, he added.

He suggested the riders be given first reminders, followed by cutting their monthly incentives and finally termination, saying that such a move will ensure riders follow rules and adhere to all safety protocols that the companies claim to practice.

He said that another method of ensuring these companies follow rules is by incorporating international standards under ISO39001 for road traffic safety management and under ISO39002 on managing commuting staff.

Miros board member Wong Shaw Voon.

“Auditors should check if the companies have been certified under these international standards, and if they are practising it or if there has been a lapse. Those who do not follow these standards should not get their auditing approved,” he said.

Wong added that it is not costly to get the certification as companies could check with the Standards Department on ways to get certified or to get more information on the matter.

Wong, who also sits on the panel of experts at the United Nations Road Safety Fund, said motorcycles remain the most dangerous mode of transport, with studies showing it is 50 times more dangerous than taking public transport and up to 15 times more dangerous than cycling.

As for cars, he said drivers are protected by the frame of the vehicle and safety belt while motorcyclists are only protected by helmets, and are at higher risk of injuring themselves due to the exposure while riding.

Earlier this week, Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Azisman Alias said while motorcyclists remain at the top, this was followed by other vehicle drivers with 888 deaths, and pedestrians with 266 deaths last year.

Azisman added that the overall number of road accidents had decreased by 26.3% with 418,237 cases, compared with 567,516 in 2019.

According to the statistics released by the police for accidents in 2020, 4,297 were fatal, a 25.5% drop from the previous year which recorded 5,764 deaths. The number of motorcyclist deaths in 2020 was also less than the 3,959 deaths recorded in 2019. - FMT