Controlling fatal road accidents in Malaysia

Controlling fatal road accidents in Malaysia

Last year , 2009, there was 6,218 fatal road accidents, of which 3,730 were motorcyclists and pillion riders. (New Straits Times Wed August 25 2010) . All steps taken so far to reduced this toll has not being successful.

One of the reasons is that, drug addiction to alcohol and other addictive drugs is high in Malaysia. Studies on alcohol consumption have shown that, people sensitive to alcohol will suffer negative effects of alcohol, including poor judgment, even if taken in a small quantity. Reduction of legal alcohol limit in blood has reduced fatal road accidents. There is a suggestion that alcohol be ban when driving.

Reports from overseas.
Fatal road accidents are common overseas too. Efforts are trying to be enforced to reduce these fatalities.:

“ Our casual approach to drinking in our society is actually destroying lives and destroying people ”
Alan Morrison New South Wales Ambulance
Service Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/8407309.stm

Published: 2009/12/11 10:50:09 GMT

“Campaigns officer Ellen Booth warns even a 50mg limit would encourage misapprehensions about a certain alcohol limit - such as a small glass of wine or a half-pint of beer - being safe to imbibe before driving when, in fact, no such standard can be calculated given people's different physiologies and metabolisms. Why not ban all drink-driving?
The World Heath Organization estimated in 2008 that the proportion of UK road deaths attributable to alcohol was 17% - higher than Sweden on 16%, Germany on 12% and the Czech republic on 3.4%, but lower than France on 27%, the Irish Republic on 37% and Estonia on 48%. Overall, the European Commission says UK road deaths are relatively low at 43 per million inhabitants compared with 54 per million in Germany, 67 per millioAdvocates argue it will send a clear signal that alcohol and the road do not mix. The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (Pacts) estimates it could save 65 lives a year, as Switzerland noted a drop in alcohol-related road deaths after it reduced the limit to 50mg from 80mg: 67 per million in France and 98 per million in Estonia.

Surely the simplest solution is to say that people should not drive at all if they have consumed alcohol. This will remove any and all potential misunderstandings. This is what is practised in Japan. If you are involved in an accident and you have been drinking, you can be punished quite severely under Japanese law. Even if the accident is deemed to be anther driver's fault, you can also be held partially responsible if you have been drinking. Idocrase, Tokyo
By Jon Kelly
BBC News Magazine Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8741847.stm

Published: 2010/06/16 10:34:43 GMT

What about other addictive drugs effect on fatal road accidents?

I would not be surprised to read if studies show that other addictive drugs like morphine, cannabis, amphetamines have similar effects on fatal accidents.These drugs even kill consumers who do not drive. Like alcohol, these drugs affect the normal functions of the brain.

It is therefore frightening that besides alcohol consumption, other drug addiction is rising in Malaysia

“Designer drugs that can kill catching on among the young
PETALING JAYA: Designer drugs like methamphetamine and Ecstasy are becoming the drug of choice for abusers, who are getting younger, with some hardly in their teens.” (Starprobe
The Star Online Monday November 23, 2009)
Surely this will worsen the already high fatal accident rate in Malaysia

Severe penalty for driving after taking alcohol and other addictive drugs.

As in Japan, where fatal accidents are low, Malaysia should enforce severe penalty for people drinking alcohol and taking other addictive drugs before. Islam already bans alcohol drinking and has severe penalty of 40 to 80 lashes for alcohol consumption. Other addictive drug consumers will be punished with ta'zir law which has death as the maximum penalty
.
Compulsory testing of drug level in blood in all accidents

To enforce the law, it must be made compulsory for all those involved in accidents to undergo blood test for alcohol and other addictive drugs. Only then can fatal road accidents be controlled.