KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, a member of the Road Safety Council, has called for immediate and comprehensive measures to ensure only qualified, well-trained, and physically fit drivers operate heavy vehicles.
Lee emphasized that such measures are crucial to curbing accidents or road mishaps involving heavy vehicles.
"Stricter measures are needed to ensure only qualified, well-trained, and physically fit drivers are allowed to operate heavy vehicles.
"This includes mandatory refresher training, stringent medical check-ups, and psychological evaluations to address stress or fatigue," he said on Saturday (Dec 28).
Lee expressed concern over poorly maintained vehicles, describing them as a ticking time bomb on roads.
"Authorities must enforce regular inspections and ensure that vehicle owners comply with maintenance schedules.
"Severe penalties should be imposed for those who neglect safety standards," he said.
He urged for robust and visible enforcement.
"More resources should be allocated to monitoring compliance, including installing speed limiters, GPS tracking, and conducting random checks at rest stops.
"Transparent enforcement will deter violations and promote a culture of accountability," he said.
The alarming frequency of road crashes involving heavy vehicles such as lorries, trucks, and buses demands immediate and comprehensive action, Lee noted.
"These incidents, often resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives, point to three critical areas of concern: driver competency, vehicle maintenance, and enforcement.
"Addressing these issues requires collaboration between policymakers, enforcement agencies, and the transport industry.
"Safety must take precedence over cost-cutting measures to protect lives on our roads," he added.
His comments follow a recent spate of accidents involving heavy vehicles.
The latest occurred at KM204 of the North-South Expressway near Ayer Keroh, Melaka, on Monday (Dec 23).
In the tragedy, seven people, including five members of a family, were killed and others injured, when a tyre that came off a lorry rolled into the middle of the highway, causing a five-vehicle crash.
