KUALA LUMPUR: Preliminary police data have shown a significant drop in fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles, down from 260 in 2024 to 163 last year.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke (pic) said statistics from the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) showed an encouraging downward trend in fatalities involving lorries, trailers and heavy goods vehicles.
In 2023, there were 232 such fatal accident cases.
“These statistics cover accidents involving heavy vehicles, regardless of whether the vehicle was the primary cause of it or merely involved in the crash,” he said in a parliamentary written reply.
Loke was responding to Ayer Hitam MP Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, who wanted to know the impact of the enforcement against overloaded lorries by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) on the supply chain, logistics costs and cost of living.
Loke said the decline in accidents served as an early indicator that stricter enforcement measures on heavy vehicle safety compliance, had contributed to reducing the risk of fatal accidents.
The minister explained that JPJ’s enforcement against overloaded lorries did not involve the introduction of new policies.
Instead, he said it was based on existing provisions under the Road Transport Act 1987 and Weight Restriction Order (WRO) that have long been in place to ensure road safety.
On the impact to supply chain and costs, Loke said industry players, including the Malaysia Trucking Federation, had acknowledged that there would be short-term effects.
“The government appreciates their willingness to embrace these changes,” Loke added.
