Be careful going home for Chinese New Year, drivers told

KUALA LUMPUR: Motorists heading back to their hometowns for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations are advised to be careful when driving to their destinations, as the number of vehicles would increase two to three-fold. 

Transport Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai said drivers and motorcyclists should be prepared for their long journey to avoid any untoward incidents during the festive season. 

He said about 5,000 officers from the police and Road Transport Department had already embarked on Ops Sikap IV on Saturday to monitor the traffic flow and congestions during this period. 

He said based on surveys done during Ops Sikap III, it was discovered that heavy rain had been the cause of the rise in road accident deaths last year. 

“An average of 19 deaths daily was recorded in that operation, compared to about 17 deaths daily during previous operations,” he told reporters after launching Life Publishers Berhad's monthly magazine Feminine Oriental Cuisine here yesterday.