KUALA LUMPUR: The publishing of daily road accident statistics will serve as a "wake-up call" to motorists and motorcyclists on the seriousness of the issue and remind them to be vigilant on the road, says an activist.
The Alliance of Safety Community (Ikatan) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said road accidents contribute to a high number of deaths in the country.
" (So) publishing daily statistics on road accidents is not only a good idea but also very crucial considering the number of road fatalities in the country.
"The country records an average of between 12 and 18 deaths from road accidents in a day.
"So it works out to almost an annual loss of more than 6,000 lives in a year, in which, 70 per cent are motorcyclists," said Lee, who is the former Malaysia Crime Prevention senior vice-chairman.
He said road users must drive and ride safely to help authorities reduce accidents.
"And this requires a change of attitudes and mindsets about the importance of road safety, which is lacking," he said
He also proposed the authorities utilise more closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) to beef enforcement and reduce road accidents.
"We have about 5,000 CCTV around Kuala Lumpur and some of them are mounted at traffic lights at junctions."
Making roads safe and reducing accidents, Lee said, is also the responsibility of the various authorities.
"All roads must be monitored and properly maintained to resolve issues like potholed or uneven roads which can cause accidents."
The Federal Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department yesterday started publishing daily accident statistics, in a move to raise awareness among road users on the seriousness of road safety.
On Thursday, March 14, a total of 1,999 accidents and 12 fatalities were reported around the country.
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Tags: daily statistics, road accidents, police, Lee Lam Thye, transport, road safety