Latest news with #roadsafety
Free Malaysia Today
12 hours ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Toddler dies after MPV rams car from behind
Dashcam images from a viral video showing the MPV approaching from behind and ramming the car. PETALING JAYA : A two-year-old girl died from her injuries after the car she was in was rammed from behind by a Toyota Alphard on the North-South Expressway near Muar, Johor, on Monday. Berita Harian reported that Ayesha Sofea Anwaruddin died on Wednesday morning after spending two days in intensive care fighting for her life. The toddler was with her family of four in a Proton Saga, which was on the left lane of the highway. A viral video of the dashcam footage showed the Alphard ramming into the car from behind. Muar police chief Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz confirmed that one of the passengers in the Saga had died in the crash which happened around 7.30am on May 26. 'The multipurpose vehicle (MPV) involved is believed to have lost control before crashing into the back of the car. This caused the car to lose control and skid before crashing into the road divider,' he said in a statement. Raiz said the driver and other two passengers in the Saga also sustained injuries. A breathalyser test cleared the driver of the Alphard from being under the influence of alcohol or any banned substance. He appealed for witnesses to come forward and assist in investigations.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'It is a killer' – MLA calls for action after nearly 300 serious road incidents
Nearly 300 people have been killed or seriously injured on Northern Ireland's roads due to speeding between 2019 and 2023, according to new figures. The stark statistics reveal that 297 lives were lost or significantly impacted over the four-year period due to speed-related collisions, prompting fresh appeals for action from policymakers and enforcement bodies. Deborah Erskine, DUP MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone and chair of the Stormont Infrastructure Committee, described the figures as 'sobering' She said: "Between 2019 and 2023, 297 people were either killed or seriously injured as a result of speeding on our roads. "Behind each of these figures is a family left grieving or a person living with life-altering injuries. "My thoughts are with all those who have suffered loss or trauma." Ms Erskine highlighted young drivers aged 16 to 24 as a group of particular concern, accounting for over two-fifths of serious casualties linked to speeding. Read more: First Minister to open 2025 Sean Mac Diarmada Summer School Males were found to be responsible for more than three-quarters of all such collisions resulting in death or serious injury. She said: "We must ask serious questions about driving culture, education, and enforcement, especially among younger drivers." The data also showed that 70 per cent of speeding-related incidents took place on rural roads, with nearly 40% occurring over the weekend, particularly between 4pm and 10pm. Ms Erskine is now calling for a strategic, cross-departmental response, involving not only law enforcement but also education and public health initiatives. She said: "As chair of the Infrastructure Committee, I am calling for greater urgency and coordination between the minister and all stakeholders, including the PSNI. "Tackling speeding must be a strategic priority, not just a policing issue, with a cross-departmental approach, involving education and enforcement. "One death on our roads is one too many. "There is a role for all of us. "Slowing down, staying alert, and respecting other road users are basic responsibilities that save lives. "We need to change attitudes, especially among those who see speed as a measure of confidence or skill. It isn't – it is a killer.'
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Give way to emergency vehicles, Abu Dhabi Police remind drivers
The UAE is one of the few countries in the world where drivers consistently give way to emergency vehicles. Whenever a police patrol, an ambulance or civil defence vehicle approaches, accompanied by flashing lights and a siren, motorists in the UAE generally move aside to let these emergency vehicles pass through. Nonetheless, the UAE is reminding its residents to keep doing the same and strengthen the road safety culture. These emergency vehicles would be rushing to attend to an accident, incident, a fire, and every second counts. With that in mind, police in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi have launched a six-month awareness campaign, urging drivers to give way to emergency vehicles to save lives. In co-ordination with the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority, Abu Dhabi Police launched the campaign titled 'Don't Hesitate – Give Way Immediately.' The campaign aims to educate drivers on traffic laws around giving way to emergency vehicles, and the fines applicable for failure to do so, further enhancing responsible driving habits. Fines According to the Ministry of Interior, motorists who don't give way to emergency, ambulance and police vehicles vehicles will be fined Dh3,000 and 6 traffic points. Further, their vehicles will be confiscated for 30 days. Meanwhile, obstructing entrance and not leaving enough space for a Civil Defence vehicle to manoeuvre between warehouses or obstructing access to these areas would result in a penalty of Dh50,000. Earlier this month, Sharjah Police too warned that blocking emergency vehicles will result in a fine of Dh3,000 and a 30-day vehicle impoundment. 'Every second counts in emergencies. People's lives depend on how fast our rescue teams can reach them. Delays can mean the difference between life and death," a top police had told the Khaleej Times. During adverse weather conditions The fine is even harsher when impeding emergency vehicles during adverse weather conditions. The law says that motorists who obstruct rescue efforts can be fined additional Dh1,000, four more black points, and have their vehicle impounded for 60 days. In numbers According to statistics from the Ministry of Interior, a total of 325 accidents across the UAE were caused by failure to give way to emergency vehicles. The highest was in Dubai with 160 accidents followed by Abu Dhabi (107), Ajman (31), Sharjah (17), Ras Al Khaimah (5), Umm Al Quwain (3), and Fujairah (2). Dos and don'ts According to Road Safety UAE, here's a checklist on the dos and don'ts regarding emergency vehicles. When an emergency vehicle approaches: Keep the noise level down in your vehicle to hear sirens of emergency vehicles. When an emergency vehicle approaches, don't panic, stay alert, and avoid being distracted. Anticipate the likely route the emergency vehicle will take. Make sure you keep the hard shoulders free. Avoid braking abruptly and blocking the road or a junction. Look ahead for a safe area where you can pull over. Slow down, signal and move to the right. At intersections, emergency vehicles often stop or slow down to check if they can pass through safely. At intersections, you must give way to an emergency vehicle even if you are facing a green traffic light. Wait for the emergency vehicle to pass and watch for more than one emergency vehicle. Check to make sure the way is clear and signal before merging back into traffic. When you approach emergency vehicles: Watch for emergency vehicles stopped on the road and shoulders. Slow down and pass with caution, and be prepared to stop. Watch for emergency staff walking around the incident site. Clear the way for arriving additional emergency vehicles. Follow the directions of police or traffic guides. Do not rubberneck! Things to remember: Abu Dhabi Police said that the latest campaign is part of ongoing efforts to further enhance the UAE capital's position as one of the safest in the world. Remember, a simple act can be the difference between life and death.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Urgent call to update laws amid rise of 'silent threat' on Aussie roads: 'We need to catch up'
Smart glasses are emerging as a "silent threat" on Australian roads, with experts warning their use behind the wheel poses serious risks to safety and privacy, all while slipping through existing legal cracks. Often designed to resemble regular eyewear, smart glasses come equipped with discreet cameras, microphones and even display screens built into the lenses. While they're marketed as a blend of fashion and function, their increasing use in Australian society, including behind the wheel, is triggering concern among industry specialists. Monash University research found that 13.5 per cent of Australian smart glasses owners had used the technology while driving or cycling. Even more had recorded others without their consent, often in spaces where filming is restricted. Now, Professor Hussein Dia, an expert in future urban mobility, has joined a growing chorus of voices calling for tighter regulation before smart glasses become a subtle but widespread threat to both road safety and personal privacy. Speaking to Yahoo News, Dia admitted the situation is worse than he'd anticipated. "It is more concerning than I initially thought," Dia said. "These glasses can not only record and store video on the device itself, but when paired with a mobile app, the videos can also be sent to the cloud or even streamed live for everyone to watch." The potential risks, he said, are far-reaching. "So indeed, they are a 'silent threat' to road safety and privacy. Their rising use, including while driving, presents serious risks to road safety and personal privacy, and their use seems to be outpacing current Australian regulations. They can distract drivers, stream video in real time, and record people without them ever knowing. "It's a legal blind spot, and we need to catch up quickly." Unlike dashcams or built-in vehicle cameras, which are fixed in place, clearly visible, and generally accepted as tools for recording evidence, smart glasses are different — they're wearable, can move with the person, and often look just like normal glasses, making them hard to detect. Major brands like Ray-Ban, Meta, Amazon, and Google have all released iterations of the product. "I thought to myself, well, how do they compare to dashcams or built-in cameras that record surroundings in some new vehicles on the market today?" Dia said. "This is where it gets interesting, dashcams [are] used for insurance or enforcement purposes mainly, but smart glasses are mobile and discreet, making them far more intrusive and especially, they could be mistaken for ordinary eyewear. They can store footage, upload it to cloud platforms, or even livestream content without the subject's knowledge, creating significant privacy concerns. "Dashcams seem to have some regulations around them, and they are visible, but smart glasses allow real-time recording of anyone, anywhere, without warning. That's a major red flag for both road use and everyday public settings." Dia explained that while dashcams are accepted because they record the road, smart glasses raise serious privacy concerns because they can go unnoticed in places like shops, schools, and restrooms, capturing personal interactions without consent. He also warned that they act as a visual and cognitive distraction on the roads. Their ability to stream, record, and display content in a driver's line of sight, Dia said, also makes them potentially more dangerous than mobile phones. From a privacy perspective, the law offers little protection. "While it's illegal to touch your phone while driving, there's no clear law banning smart glass use behind the wheel. Likewise, Australian privacy laws do little to restrict individuals recording in public spaces, unless audio is involved, or the act is deemed harassing," he said. "Current privacy laws offer limited protection — in Australia, individuals are generally allowed to record in public spaces, though state-based surveillance laws vary. But most do not adequately address personal use of wearable cameras, particularly where the recording is silent, visual-only, and not clearly signposted." To address the growing risk, he's urging lawmakers to act — not only through clearer legislation but by encouraging manufacturers to build in better safeguards. "With no uniform national rules around personal surveillance in public and limited road safety provisions for wearable tech, I think we need some urgent regulatory updates that could include amendment of Australian road laws to explicitly address wearable visual displays while driving; strengthening privacy laws to account for wearable and mobile surveillance devices; and getting manufacturers involved to introduce clearer recording indicators, and restrict usage in sensitive areas," he said. "Currently, the industry seems largely relying on users to self-regulate, which is not sufficient given the increasing sophistication and miniaturisation of these devices.' "As smart glasses become more common, this won't be just a tech issue, but more so a public safety issue. Without stronger rules, action and more public awareness, we would be heading into risky territory where smart glasses risk becoming a widespread yet largely unregulated form of mobile surveillance with implications not just for road users, but for public life more broadly." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Speeding driver who admitted killing Glasgow Caledonian student jailed
A speeding driver who mounted a pavement and crushed a student to death has been Razaq was doing 60mph in a 30mph zone when his Audi hit another car and came off the road near Charing Cross in Glasgow city centre on 2 February Okonkwo, 33, from Nigeria, was waiting to cross the road and was crushed between railings and the front of Razaq's car. She was pronounced dead at the the High Court in Glasgow, Razaq, 30, was jailed for three years and four months having earlier admitted a charge of causing death by dangerous driving. He was also banned from the road for a total of eight years and two of Ms Okonkwo's family watched the sentencing hearing from their home country. Ms Okonkwo had moved to the UK in 2022 and was studying Public Health at the city's Caledonian also had a part-time job at a nursing home in the city's Okonkwo had been walking to work when she was hit by the court heard Razaq's Audi A4 was hit by a Ford Fiesta seconds before it mounted the pavement and struck a traffic light post. Ms Okonkwo, who was standing at the junction of Newton Street and St Vincent Street, was then struck by both the car and the got out to "remonstrate" with the other was only then that a passenger in his Audi spotted Ms Okonkwo under the court heard Ms Okonkwo received "extensive advanced life support" at the scene, but did not investigators concluded that the collision was caused by "negligence on the part of both drivers". 'Excessive speed' But prosecutor Alex Prentice KC added: "Despite different degrees of responsibility, it is also their opinion that the blame for the death is attributed to the driver of the Audi due to his dangerous manner of driving at excessive speed."Had he driven within permitted speed limits, it is unlikely the collision would have occurred."The investigators added that the Ford Fiesta driver had not performed "final safety checks" before carrying out the it was said she "could not reasonably expect" the Audi to have been approaching her "at such excessive speed". The Ford Fiesta driver had also initially been charged, but she no longer faces Scullion KC, defending, said Razaq "bitterly regrets his involvement in the death".Lord Mulholland said Ms Okonkwo was a woman with a "great future" and that no sentence would compensate for the loss her family had judge told Razaq: "It is a tragedy this happened and it did not need to happen."If you have been driving at a safe speed, it would not have happened."He cut the jail-term from four and a half years due to the guilty plea.
