‘Drivers' mental health must be addressed as well'
Road Safety Council of Malaysia executive council member Datuk Suret Singh (pic) said while other aspects such as the driving record of vocational drivers are often scrutinised as part of road safety enhancement, the need for reforms to protect mental health appears to have been overlooked.
He pointed out that among the most pressing reforms needed for commercial drivers is doing away with the current trip-based wage system.
With a decent basic pay along with benefits such as PERKESO and EPF, drivers could then be offered a lower commission for the trips they make.
Currently, it is quite common for commercial vehicle drivers to be hired on a contractual basis, with only a basic pay of between RM500 and RM700 per month that only incentivises them to 'chase trips'.
Suret emphasised that the number of trips and working hours should be regulated to ensure drivers receive adequate rest.
'Trip-based wages lead to drivers chasing after their income to meet their targets, and they end up putting in long hours and violating the maximum eight-hour driving allowed per day.
'Some drivers are known to clock 16 hours, and over time, this may cause severe fatigue and affect their health,' Suret said, adding that employers should treat their drivers as people and not machines.
'The human mind and body can only withstand so much. When extreme fatigue sets in, it can be dangerous to the driver and other road users.
'A brief loss of focus or microsleep can end in a deadly tragedy.
'Hence, employers should treat their driver with compassion and limit their working hours before it takes a toll on their health,' the former Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research chairman told The Star.
Suret said drivers should also be given a promotion and recognition based on their performance, and expressed hope that in the near future, a formal system will be introduced to grade vocational drivers according to their experience and driving records.
'Such a system would pave a career path and give drivers a sense of being recognised as professionals. It will also motivate them to uphold high standards of conduct behind the wheel.'
Echoing similar sentiments is Malaysian Road and Transpor-tation Safety Association adviser and former president Nik Mohd Salim Nik Mohd Salleh, who agreed that vocational drivers should receive a decent minimum wage.
'Without minimum wage, vocational drivers are left with no other choice but squeeze as many trips as possible into a day, without realising risks such as fatigue and microsleep,' he said.
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