KUALA LUMPUR: It is crucial that public transport operators provide adequate and proper safety training to employees to reduce the number of road tragedies, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye (pic).
The Alliance for a Safe Community chairman said they need to adopt a proactive approach to managing occupational road risk to prevent road tragedies.
“Operators can help meet the national target to bring Malaysia’s road fatality rate down by 40% within the next five years and help reduce the current rate of 4.9 deaths per 10,000 vehicles,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Lee said employers must ensure the use of safe vehicles, provide training and make sure drivers with bad records are kept away from the wheel.
This was also a business issue, as it could reduce losses.
“Resources which would otherwise be profitably utilised for the business will have to be spent on dealing with the aftermath of accidents,” he added.
Lee said employers could address the problem of tragic road accidents by establishing a written policy requiring drivers and motorcyclists to undergo safe driving practices, proper use of vehicle safety features and mandatory refresher courses.
“They should conduct driver’s licence background checks on prospective drivers before they are hired, particularly regarding drug offences.
“They also need to ensure their drivers comply with designated speed limits on roadways and other traffic regulations.
“Written procedures for proper maintenance of all vehicles owned by the employers need to be established as well,” he said.
