SIBU: Road accidents have killed 106 people in Sarawak in the first four months of this year, says Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
"According to statistics from the police from January to April 2024, the total number of road accidents in Sarawak stood at 7,153 incidents.
"Of that number, 106 were fatal accidents. As for Sibu, there were seven fatal accidents out of 734 total accidents recorded," the state Transport Minister said on Friday (May 24).
Speaking at a road safety campaign in conjunction with Gawai celebrations, Lee said that in 2023, Sarawak recorded a total of 428 deaths from 378 fatal accidents.
This was an increase of 11.7% compared to 2022.
The text of Lee's speech was read by his deputy Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.
"From the statistics, there are many factors that cause road accidents. This includes negligence (85%); an increase in the number of vehicles on the road (10%); and weather, road and terrain factors (5%)," he added.
Lee said his ministry places great importance on the safety of road users, especially in Sarawak.
"The government will always ensure that road users are given education on the importance of obeying the traffic rules. Therefore, I would like to call on all road users to look into safety measures, especially during the festive season.
"This includes using safety equipment such as helmets that have been approved by the authorities," he added.
