'High time for govt to improve road safety measures; end this carnage' - Lee Lam Thye

SHAH ALAM - It is high time for the government to enhance road safety measures in the country and impose stricter penalties on offenders, as the number of accidents resulting in the loss of innocent lives continues to rise day by day.

In saying this, Alliance of Safety Community (Ikatan) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye expressed his concern following the frequent occurrence of road accidents in the country.

This concern was also heightened by the road crash on Wednesday in Putrajaya, which tragically claimed two lives.

Lee emphasised the gravity of road safety issues in the country, particularly those involving large vehicles and motorcycles, adding that it is high time to put an end to this carnage.

"The time has come for the government to improve road safety in the country since the cases of road accidents are increasing rapidly day by day," he told Sinar Daily.

The government should take firm action against irresponsible drivers who cost the lives of other innocent drivers, he stressed.

"The irresponsible drivers cost the lives of other people, so they should be sent to jail because of their negligence." "The government must also be firm on those who don’t follow the traffic and road rules," he said.

He also stressed that it is crucial for drivers to concentrate and observe the road carefully while driving.

"Road users should be observant of the vehicles and their surroundings. For example, on a straight road, if a car is slowing down, other vehicles should also follow suit." "One possible cause of the accident today is that the truck might have been speeding, and the driver might not have been very observant of what was happening in front, so he could not slow down his vehicle," he reasoned.

Earlier today, a truck ploughed into 11 vehicles, including a police escort motorcycle, claiming the lives of two motorcyclists at Kilometre 5.7 of Jalan Persiaran Utara.

Putrajaya District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner A Asmadi Abdul Aziz, said the incident occurred at around 10:14am in the morning when both victims, along with 11 other vehicles, had stopped to give way to the traffic convoy of the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) at the accident site.

He added that the police also arrested the driver of the truck involved, which ploughed into 11 other vehicles at the accident site.

It is also reported that one of the escort motorcycles also suffered severe damage, along with six cars, three motorcycles, and two trucks.