KUALA LUMPUR: The minimum age to obtain a motorcycle licence should be lowered from the existing 16 years to 15 years old to allow more youngsters with valid licences on the road.
Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (Miros) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the move, if implemented, would curb underage driving which led to motorcycle accidents.
“With the lower age requirement, young people would be encouraged to apply for valid driving licence and undergo proper training before hitting the road.
He said police statistics showed that 201,686 summonses for driving without licence were issued in 2014 and last year.
The offenders include those between the ages of 11 and 20, and many of them go to schools in rural areas.
“I hope the government and the Road Transport Department (RTD) can implement the new minimum age requirement to enable youths to apply for motorcycle licence.
“The learner drivers should be given a valid L (learner’s driver) licence before being promoted to the B2 class, with the condition that they are not allowed to have pillion riders,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
Lee was commenting on yesterday’s news report which revealed that some 80 per cent of the 117,000 students who rode motorcycles to school did not possess a valid licence.
In the report, RTD deputy director-general had said that a joint study conducted by the RTD and Education Ministry showed that only 20 per cent, or 23,400 students, had a B2 motorcycle licence.
Lee said the government should also consider providing incentives for teenagers to encourage them to apply for a valid driving licence.
He said parents should also make an effort to educate children on the importance of road safety.
“There are many motorcyclists who do not wear safety helmets, especially in rural areas. There are also those who ride with helmets that are not properly fastened, which may cause serious head injuries in an event of an accident,” he added.
Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim urged the authorities to come up with a system where enforcement, education and punishment were strictly in place.
“Better regulation of the laws is more important than revising the age requirement. In general, students are not ready to become responsible road users at 15 and this is the reason why the current requirement is set at 16 years old.”
Azimah also called on the police to be involved in schools to help raise awareness of the law among schoolchildren.
“It is important that we take a positive and educational approach to tackle the issue,” she added.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said parents should be held accountable and might be reprimanded for letting their children ride without a licence.
“We want parents to be guided through education. They can be reprimanded, if possible, and they must understand that we have specific laws and regulations when it comes to road use.
“We will charge and summon those who are found without driving licence. Somebody has to be responsible for committing traffic violations.”
Liow said the ministry, through RTD, had come up with the “MyLesen” programme initiative to help youngsters obtain their licences at a cheaper price.
On Saturday, RTD deputy director-general (planning and operations) Datuk Yusoff Ayob said unlicensed motorcyclists could risk their lives because of lack of knowledge on traffic regulations.