Make seat belt use mandatory as a minimum safety standard, expert says

SHAH ALAM – Every passenger travelling in any type of vehicle, including Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) trucks, should be required to wear seat belts as a minimum safety standard.

Automotive expert Hezeri Samsuri said that using this safety device is crucial to reduce the severity of injuries during accidents, which could otherwise result in fatalities.

He also urged authorities to put an end to the practice of transporting security personnel in the back of trucks, as is seen in some African countries.

“Therefore, I urge the government to lead by example by making seat belt use mandatory for all government vehicles.

“Seat belts for bus and car passengers or multipurpose vehicles (MPVs) have long been mandatory, but if we don’t enforce it, it becomes pointless,” he told Sinar.

Hezeri also pointed out that petroleum companies maintain high safety standards for all their vehicles, including tanker lorries, but security forces were not provided with such vehicles.

“Malaysia faces a problem in this regard. We lack enough enforcement officers, but we’re unwilling to admit it. We want to adopt the European approach of self-policing, but the public still lacks discipline,” he said.

In the 8.50am incident on May 13, a truck carrying 18 FRU personnel from Unit 5, Sungai Senam, Ipoh, was involved in a collision with a lorry while returning from an assignment in Teluk Intan, resulting in nine fatalities. Bernama FILE PIX

Hezeri suggested that security personnel could be transported using buses or off-road buses in the future to enhance their safety, especially when more rugged vehicles were needed.

In a related matter, he also proposed that bus drivers should be fined if passengers failed to use seat belts.

“With this approach, bus drivers will make sure passengers are wearing seat belts before driving off – a method already practised in Europe, Japan, Korea and China,” he added.

Yesterday, a preliminary report released by the Transport Ministry revealed that both vehicles involved in the fatal FRU truck crash in Teluk Intan last month were found to have breached key safety standards.

The FRU truck, which was carrying 18 personnel from Unit 5 Sungai Senam, lacked essential passive safety features, including seat belts in the rear cabin and front seats.

The bench-type rear seats had no restraints, and the absence of seat belts is believed to have significantly increased the severity of injuries during the May 13 collision.

The crash on May 13 occurred at 8.50am, killing eight officers at the scene, with another later succumbing to injuries at Teluk Intan Hospital.

Nine others were injured.

The FRU personnel were en route back to Ipoh after completing duty at the Chitrapournami celebration.