Herdiansah presenting a helmet and vest to one of the riders.
TAWAU: Road accidents are a community disease which should be curbed holistically with the cooperation of all parties by providing a secure and conducive atmosphere and environment at all times, said Transport Ministry chief secretary Datuk Seri Hj Saripuddin Bin Hj Kasim.
Saripuddin said 18 road users were killed in fatal accidents everyday nationwide, which means a victim dies severy one hour and 20 minutes.
This ‘disease’ was mostly caused by the carelessness of communities who have no tolerance and act impolitely on the road. They do not think of other road users who are also paying road tax.
According to statistics, he said about 60 per cent of the motorcyclists involved in accidents were aged between 16 and 25. This is a high-risk group involved in road accidents.
However, he said this ‘disease’ could be curbed collectively by all road users in riding and driving carefully and complying with the stated laws and codes.
He stated this in his speech which was delivered by state director of the Road Safety Department, Herdiansah Abdul Karim during the road safety campaign of 1M Tourist Bus Association in front of the Tawau Municipal Council (TMC) building here yesterday.
“This campaign is a community-based program for road users in line with the Blue Ocean Strategy and National Principles (Rukun Negara). Its objective is to apply values and road safety elements among road users,” said Saripuddin.
He added the government is also striving hard to upgrade all roads such as the Pan Borneo project in Sabah.