Expert proposes a whole-of-nation approach to prevent heavy vehicle crashes
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HL: Expert proposes a whole-of-nation approach to prevent heavy vehicle crashes
Adie Zulkifli
ALOR STAR: A whole-of-nation approach is the only viable solution to effectively address recurring tragedies involving heavy vehicles and public transport fleets, according to criminologist and road safety advocate Kamal Affandi Hashim.
He emphasised the urgent need for all stakeholders, including the government, fleet operators, academics, and civil society, to shift their focus towards risk management and prevention rather than merely reacting after a tragedy occurs.
"We need a dedicated 'war room' on this issue. Academics may understand the theory and policy, but fleet operators have practical, on-the-ground experience.
"So, we must bring both perspectives together to form a comprehensive and balanced understanding of what has gone wrong," he told the New Straits Times.
Kamal underscored the need for in-depth studies into the entire ecosystem of fleet operations – encompassing operators, vehicles, spare parts, and drivers – to identify and address the root causes of such incidents.
"We must stop treating this as a problem confined to a few parties. It's time to re-engineer our approach and acknowledge shared responsibility. We need to engage as many government agencies and industry players as possible.
"Imposing fines after a tragedy is not enough. The core principle must be prevention."
Kamal was responding to questions raised by road safety experts following a recent fatal crash involving a lorry and a police truck, which claimed the lives of nine Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel.
Experts have criticised the formation of yet another task force in the wake of the tragedy, arguing that previous inquiries into fatal crashes have produced findings and recommendations that remain largely unknown or unimplemented.
Kamal also cited the use of counterfeit spare parts by fleet operators as a critical issue that must be addressed.
"The government could consider introducing initiatives to encourage the use of genuine spare parts rather than counterfeit or second-hand components, which are often used to cut costs.
"This may involve reviewing taxes or excise duties to make quality spare parts more affordable," he said.
He also proposed that the government incentivise the adoption of fleet monitoring systems, enabling the collection of essential data on vehicle movements and driver behaviour.
"Such data could then be analysed by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) to assess the safety standards of both drivers and fleets."
Kamal suggested involving the Ministry of Human Resources to support road safety training programmes for commercial drivers.
He stressed the need to enhance the capabilities of the Automated Enforcement System (AES) cameras installed along major expressways.
"Currently, these cameras measure speed, but not vehicle dimensions. That's why you still see buses and lorries exceeding the 90km/h speed limit for heavy vehicles – they know they won't be flagged.
"This poses a significant risk to other road users, as heavy vehicles require a much longer braking distance."
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