PETALING JAYA: Commercial vehicle drivers need to “listen to and feel” their vehicles to prevent serious accidents due to faulty vehicles. Additionally, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) needs to upgrade its driving licence syllabus to ensure drivers know the basics of vehicle maintenance, say industry players.
Responding to a freak accident on Nov 2, where a metal drive shaft from the undercarriage of a lorry dislodged and hit an MPV, killing a passenger, the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Trucking Association president Datuk Wong Kean Ki said drivers and companies should ensure their vehicles are safe before and while driving.
“For example, lorry drivers used to be told to always have their windows wound down a bit to enable any weird noises from the vehicle to be heard,” he said.
“[With] a detached metal shaft, the lorry would not have felt very steady, and there must have been sounds which the driver either ignored or did not hear before the incident took place.
“However, nowadays many just wind up their windows fully with the air conditioning on and the radio cranked up,” added Wong, who also called on the authorities in charge of issuing goods driving licences to update the driving school syllabus.
“Learner drivers should be taught the basics of maintaining a vehicle, especially if they are being taught how to drive heavy vehicles. They should not be getting licences just because they can park the vehicle.
“JPJ should ensure the driving school syllabus includes tyre changes, minor engine maintenance and looking out for signs of poor vehicle safety.
“A small loose screw on a lorry tyre or lack of air in a tyre can lead to fatal accidents,” said Wong.
Meanwhile, Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua, head of the Road Safety Research Centre at Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Engineering Faculty, said coordination and collaboration among drivers, transport companies, and the government are needed to lessen fatal accidents.
“Before setting out on a trip, drivers should check their trucks to ensure that all their components, including shafts and couplings, are in good condition.
“Lorry drivers too need to avoid speeding and be mindful of the various risk factors associated with the transportation process. The process must take precedence over cost factors.
“There should be strict enforcement of regulations concerning load securing and vehicle safety. There should also be frequent inspections on the heavier vehicles. Penalties for neglect would make transporters adhere to the regulations,” said Law.
He also advised smaller vehicles to exercise care when “interacting” with large trucks.
“The best way to avoid exposure to danger would be to maintain a safe following distance on the road.
“The prevention and elimination of such incidents need coordination and collaboration among drivers, transport companies, and the government.
“Once all parties prioritise road safety and do the right thing, roads become safe, and the possibility of dreadful incidents occurring can be lessened,” said Law.
