13 ‘high’ drivers arrested in six-day ops

Safety first: Traffic policemen checking motorcyclists at the Duta toll plaza. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: Traffic police arrested 13 drivers and issued over 1,300 summonses during the six-day Op Perdagangan from Sept 3 to 8.

All the drivers, most of whom were lorry drivers, tested positive for methamphetamine, Bukit Aman Traffic Investigations and Enforcement Department deputy director Senior Asst Comm Datuk Mohd Nadzri Hussain said.

“We cannot tolerate such things because driving under the influence of drugs can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles, leading to worse accidents, ” he said as police wrapped up the special traffic operation on commercial vehicles at the Duta toll plaza on Sunday night.

SAC Mohd Nadzri also advised business owners, especially those in the public transportation sector, to check their drivers before allowing them to be behind the wheels.

“This is especially important for public transportation like buses because the driver is responsible for the lives of their passengers, ” he said.

He added the latest data showed that there were 460 fatal accidents on expressways nationwide out of 33,787 cases, in which 489 lives were lost between January and July.

Out of all the accidents, at least 11% involved lorries, buses and other types of commercial vehicles.

On a separate matter, SAC Mohd Nadzri said police would continue to monitor illegal motorcycle races involving machines with illegal modifications, especially those that are believed to have gambling elements.

“We are not discounting that there are parties involved that encourage modifications in order to win bets but this would require further investigation and that is what we plan to do, ” he said.

SAC Mohd Nadzri also said 60% of road accidents were fatal due to the impact of a crash.

“Car crashes happen because of drivers’ attitude. These drivers are also not getting enough rest before setting off, ” he said, adding that some of the victims included those on the roadside waiting at bus stops or food stalls.