According to a report compiled by The Star, the Transport Ministry revealed that a total of 915,874 road accidents were recorded over the course of 2021 and 2022.
Minister Anthony Loke disclosed that in 2022 alone, there were 545,588 road accidents, resulting in 6,080 fatalities (1.1% mortality rate). In 2021, there were 370,286 accidents, leading to 4,539 deaths (1.23% mortality rate).
Loke also highlighted a study conducted by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), which identified human behaviour as the primary cause of road accidents, followed by road infrastructure design and condition, as well as vehicle condition.
To address these issues, Miros and the Road Transport Department have been actively running campaigns and enforcing measures to promote safe driving practices.
In response to a parliamentary inquiry by Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan (BN-Kuala Pilah) regarding the main cause of fatal road accidents and the plans to resolve the issue in the short, medium, and long term, Loke shared that the Transport Ministry launched the Malaysia Road Safety Plan (PKJRM 2022-2030) on January 27, 2022.
The goal of the plan is to achieve a 50% reduction in road accidents by 2030. Various programs and strategies involving local communities and the private sector have been devised to support this objective.
Furthermore, both active and passive strategies have been implemented to enhance vehicle safety standards.
This includes the establishment of a vehicle research and safety test centre, as well as improvements to the standards and evaluation mechanisms used to assess vehicle safety. Minister Loke assured that additional measures have also been undertaken to address the issue effectively.
