KUCHING: Almost half of fatal accidents in the state involved motorcyclists and pillion riders.
Road Safety Department state director Davina Agnes Enteli said police statistics showed motorcyclists and pillion riders were the most vulnerable to fatal road accidents.
“We know motorcycles are the most used mode of transportation in Sarawak.
“Therefore, whatever motorcycle is used, the risk for the motorcyclists or pillion riders to suffer from injuries is the highest compared to users of other vehicles, such as cars and lorries,” she said at the launching of a road safety campaign for Chinese New Year yesterday.
She said based on findings by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), motorcyclists and pillion riders were not at fault in 60 per cent of road accidents, but were victims because they could not be seen or detected by other road users.
“In order to reduce the risk or injury involving motorcyclists and pillion riders, I would like to call on community leaders to advise their people to ensure that they use helmets that are according to safety standards,” she said.
She said the rate of motorcyclists and pillion riders using helmets that meet safety standards is still very low.
“Wearing a helmet that is according to safety standards is very important as it will be able to help reduce the intensity of injuries faced by the victims during accidents,” she said.
Davina said enforcement and road safety campaigns would continue to be implemented at all times.
“During festive seasons, more road users would obey the laws maybe because there is more enforcement. Yes, there will be enforcement, but what is more important is there must be awareness,” she pointed out.
She said most accidents occurred because of human error and could be avoided if the drivers were more careful, did not exceed the speed limit, and were not under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medicine.
“The latest is drivers driving under distraction. If we are distracted for two second when driving, it will cause us not to be able to pay attention to the road at a range of about 400 metres,” she explained.
While emphasising that road safety is a joint responsibility, Davina said efforts would not be successful if road users take things for granted and do not prioritise safety.