KUALA LUMPUR: For the first four months of this year 287 fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles were reported, says Datuk Hasbi Habibollah.
"In the first quarter of this year, 625 accidents involving heavy vehicles were recorded.
"Of this, 287 resulted in death, 95 serious injuries and 270 light injuries," the Deputy Transport Minister said when replying to a question raised by Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (PH-Ledang) in Dewan Rakyat on Monday. (June 24)
He said the accidents involved various heavy vehicles, such as lorries and express buses.
In 2023, Hasbi said 45,015 summons and notices were issued to transport companies operating heavy vehicles for various offences, such as overloading and carrying dangerous substances.
"As of April this year, 9,214 summons and notices were issued," he added.
He said that the Transport Ministry and Works Ministry are at the final stages of developing a “High Speed-Weigh in Motion” system to allow action to be taken against overloaded heavy vehicles in real-time without them to be stopped and weighed.
Hasbi also said that heavy vehicle companies could be suspended if they failed the safety and inspection audit carried out by the Land Public Transport Agency.
"As of April this year, 42 companies were suspended after they failed the audit," he added.
He warned heavy vehicle companies that if they were brought to court, More drastic action would be taken, such as revoking their licenses and seizing their vehicles.
Meanwhile, Hasbi said that talks are underway with the Malaysian Highway Authority and PLUS Malaysia BHD on building more parking lots for heavy vehicles at the rest and service areas along the highways.
He said this was a long-term solution to address the frequent parking by heavy vehicles by the lay-by at the rest and service areas due to a shortage of parking lots.
