ENGAGEMENTS will be held to see if Malaysians want heavier punishments to be imposed against underage drivers, says Datuk Hasbi Habibollah.
The Deputy Transport Minister said this was due to the high number of underage drivers caught over the last four years.
“From 2021 to 2024, there were over 3,000 recorded cases of underage driving.
“In fact, there have already been 578 summonses issued for underage driving from Jan 1 to Feb 29 this year alone,” he said when answering a question raised by Capt (Rtd) Azahari Hasan (PN-Padang Rengas).
Other than penalties, he said the ministry and its relevant agencies would also continue to focus on providing education and awareness on the dangers of underage driving.
“We will also work to provide the facilities they need to learn driving legally and responsibly upon reaching legal age,” he said.
Currently under Section 26(2) of the Road Transport Act 1987, underage drivers can face fines of up to RM2,000 or imprisonment of up to six months, or both, if convicted.
Last November, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the ministry would conduct a review on fines against underage drivers as stipulated under the Road Transport Act 1987.
This came after a 16-year-old unlicensed driver was involved in a fatal crash that took the lives of a motorcyclist and his pillion rider on the Penang Bridge on Nov 12, 2023.
Earlier, Hasbi also announced that a weighing in motion system is in the final phase of development to tackle the issue of overloaded vehicles.
The system, developed jointly with the Works Ministry, will be used to detect and track any overloaded heavy vehicles on public roads.
“With this, detecting and monitoring any offenders can be done automatically in real time, without needing the heavy vehicle to come to a stop for inspection,” he said.
Hasbi was answering a question raised by Shaharizukirnain Abdul Kadir (PN-Setiu) on the ministry’s efforts to address the dangers posed by overweight vehicles speeding on public roads.
On this, he added that 65,221 summonses had been issued against overloaded heavy vehicles from 2016 to September 2023.
“At least 94 goods delivery vehicle companies have been suspended after failing the audit process and for accidents in 2023.
“The ministry will not hesitate from taking strict action against any parties who disobey the rules under the Road Transport Act 1987, Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board Act 1987 and the Land Public Transport Act 2010,” he added.
