‘driving4dummies' is helping make Malaysians better drivers

Daily Express

9 hours ago

Published on: Monday, August 04, 2025
Published on: Mon, Aug 04, 2025
By: Theevya Ragu, FMT Lifestyles Text Size: Ammar's videos educate Malaysians on different aspects of road safety. (driving4dummies Instagram pics) PETALING JAYA: In just the first 10 months of 2024, Malaysia recorded 532,125 road accidents, resulting in 5,364 fatalities. So it begs the question: what can be done to make the country's roads safer? One young man has decided to take matters into his own hands. Through videos on his social media page 'driving4dummies', Ammar Anas, 29, is on a simple mission: to help fellow Malaysians understand the dos and don'ts while on the road. Having started 'driving4dummies' in 2023, his videos are now viewed thousands, sometimes even millions of times. 'I kept seeing a lot of news involving accidents, and all of that really affected me personally,' Ammar told FMT Lifestyle. Taking a friendly approach in all his videos, Ammar highlights everyday mistakes that local drivers make, and then breaks down how to do it right: from merging into traffic and navigating roundabouts to stopping for pedestrians and understanding road signs. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Ammar uses a phone on a neck mount, a dash cam, and a 360° camera on his bike to capture his daily journeys, such as commuting to work. Then, he just stays on the lookout for incidences that can turn into teaching moments. 'My main motive is to ensure that everyone who shares the road knows how to use it safely and properly and not make it a negative environment. Because every time we get on the road and behind the wheel, we tend to get a bit defensive,' he admitted. 'So instead of being scared, how about we become a better driver, who adheres to the rules so that we are happy driving.' But how did he master the right way of driving? Ammar shared much of what he knows now didn't come from driving school, but from his own research. 'For example, I don't remember being taught about using the roundabout properly in driving school. I only learnt it after being honked at. I thought, 'What did I do wrong?' That's when I went on the internet and researched on how to do it properly.' Just by reading through the comments section, Ammar has realised that this is a common issue. 'I get people commenting, 'I just learnt about this, I wasn't taught this in driving school.' 'Most driving schools are advertising themselves as '100% pass' and promise you can get your license fast. But I think they probably forgot about the safety part. That's the biggest responsibility – to teach future drivers how to be safe on the road,' he said. Experiencing road culture abroad has also shaped his views. Ammar expressed that it is mindset, not just skill, that Malaysian drivers need to work on. 'People nowadays are unnecessarily rushing to go almost everywhere, even during peak hours or weekends. I think we've forgotten how to slow down a little bit,' he shared. He also said the government has to do better by road users. He recounted how he recently reported to PLUS about putting up a 'Sila Pandu Satu Lorong' sign at the Subang highway exit, as drivers there often straddle two lanes. Although the complaint was acknowledged and closed via email, no changes have been made to date. Ammar explained that he's not out to shame anyone. During a recent road altercation, a driver shouted at him for delaying traffic as he let pedestrians cross. The video went viral on Instagram, gaining over a million views. Instead of fuelling hate, Ammar met up with the driver to make amends, and urged others to avoid online bullying. 'As long as I manage to change one person's behaviour, it's good enough. Now, there's one less road bully,' he said. He doesn't only criticise Malaysians on the road – he often shares heartwarming moments, too, like when a kind motorcyclist stopped to help someone in need. For him, this journey of content creation has been truly meaningful. 'There was one moment that actually made me cry,' he revealed. 'A friend came up to me and said, 'Hey Ammar, I stopped for pedestrians because of your video.' And he was so happy about it.' As Ammar continues to grow 'driving4dummies', he has just one wish: 'I hope that there will be fewer road accidents and a more enjoyable driving experience here in Malaysia.'