HIGHWAYS around the country will have their fair share of vehicles today as the balik kampung rush continues.

Keeping track of traffic flow this festive season is made easy with the Internet.

With full (or near-full) passenger capacity and a boot filled with luggage and goodies, driving would certainly be a challenge – even before taking into account the differing attitudes of other drivers.

To ensure rules are adhered to, the number of fatal accidents reduced and smooth traffic flow, the police – as in previous festive periods, launched the Ops Sikap last week.

The 15-day operation, which ends on Oct 8, involves utilising electronic media to provide information to road users on peak and non-peak hours so they can plan their journey. The police are also increasing patrolling activities, going undercover on buses and monitoring traffic flow at accident-prone areas through closed-circuit cameras situated at 19 watch towers along Federal Highways and the expressway.

Besides relying on the authorities to maintain road safety, drivers should be prepared for their journey. While ensuring their vehicles are serviced is a good start, they should equip themselves with relevant traffic information. For example, if they are looking for the best routes to reach their destination, they can check out the Malaysian Highway Authority’s traffic Web site at www.llmtrafik.gov.my.

The Web site not only provides highway maps. It also offers traffic status or conditions of different points in various highways as well as live highway traffic images. Through www.llmtrafik.gov.my/wap, SMS and WAP can be used to get the latest information.

Meanwhile, PLUS Expressways Bhd’s Web site (www.plus.com.my) features maps of its expressways, a toll fare calculator, a listing of petrol stations, and rest areas along the expressways. With this, road users can plan their journey such as how much cash or credit they should have on their Touch N’ Go cards, and where they can stop to refill their tanks and take a break.

For those who are spending Hari Raya in Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas, take a look at www.itis.com.my. The Integrated Transport Information System’s Web site has traffic announcements, video streaming of live traffic conditions, a journey planner with specific point-to-point instructions and an interactive map that indicates traffic congestion in real-time.

With Ops Sikap in place, fatal accidents were reduced from 213 in 2006 to 203 last year. Hopefully, with enough preparation on the drivers’ side, coupled with Ops Sikap, there will be significant reduction in the number of fatalities this time around.

Selamat Hari Raya.