IN the face of rising accident figures, the question we need to ask ourselves is why are motorists not adhering to the rules? Clearly, the current deterrents are not effective enough to stop people from breaking traffic rules. That the 1.6 million summonses under the Automated Enforcement System (AES), which was introduced in 2012, need a sustainable solution, amply demonstrates the validity of this argument. Malaysians must realise that the inability to collect the fines is more than a traffic issue, or even a public safety issue. It is a telling indication of people’s attitudes towards the law. If so many drivers feel comfortable breaking simple rules such as speed limits, are they also comfortable about breaking other laws? Do some people view the law of the land as a laughing matter rather than an order to be complied with?
While the authorities wrestle with this question, they must also find a way to collect the fines for the traffic summonses mentioned above. Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has dismissed speculation that the government would quash the 1.6 million summonses which were issued to speeding vehicles under the AES. Traffic offenders will still have to pay the fines but the amount will now be fixed at RM150, including for offences incurred in the future. Those who ignore their summonses will be blacklisted and not allowed to renew their driving licences. How about the offenders who did not get caught because they are simply lucky, or familiar with the location of speed cameras that they know when to slow down? Is a fine of RM150 all that speedsters have to pay for breaking the law? Evidently, a heavier fine is necessary. It will have to be significant enough to have a deterrent effect and make people who flout traffic rules think more than twice. The paltry amount of RM150 will not discourage habitual traffic offenders who will happily pay up and continue with their bad habits. Reportedly, motorists who drive while talking on their cell phones and those who beat traffic lights, for instance, pay RM300 when they are caught. What is the reason for the disparity?
The AES has been implemented in 90 countries around the world. Thailand and Vietnam have put in place a digital traffic enforcement system. There are examples of the effectiveness of AES in other countries. For instance, in France, the mortality rate was reduced by 27 per cent in the first three years of the use of the system. In Germany, at the installed locations, speed reduction has become a culture (vehicle speed reduction and compliance of 80 per cent at locations where speed sensor cameras are installed). For Malaysia, traffic police have to be more visible and prepared to pull over those who speed, use mobile phones while driving and refuse to don seat belts, among other offences. And, drivers need to know that, if found breaking the law, they will face real consequences, ranging from heavy fines to the confiscation of their cars and, in serious cases, imprisonment. People have to feel uncomfortable about breaking the law, not just near speed radars, but anywhere on and off the road.