Fines alone are no longer seen as effective
PETALING JAYA: Fines are no longer enough to deter reckless driving and address the record number of road crashes.
Road safety advocates said the government must fast-track the revamped Kejara demerit points system and mandate speed limiters on vehicles.
Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research chairman Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon said fines are not a sufficient deterrent for certain groups, but there is no way of running from demerits.
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“Fines alone may not effectively change behaviour as their impact differs based on income levels.
“The demerit system, however, does not make any differentiations.
“Effectively, this would keep dangerous drivers off the road,” Wong said when contacted.
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Recent amendments to the Road Transport Act include a maximum fine of RM500 imposed for several traffic offences.
Wong said the Kejara or demerit points system for traffic offences must complement existing traffic laws.
The Road Transport Department (JPJ) previously said the Kejara system is in the final stage of review following an overhaul as demerit points were only chalked up after traffic offenders settled their summonses.
Introduced in 2017, offences under the Kejara system include speeding, running red lights, failing to wear seat belts and using mobile phones while driving, all of which can result in licences being suspended or revoked.
Between January and April this year, 273,668 road crashes were recorded, following a record 790,614 incidents last year.
Road Safety Council of Malaysia executive council member Datuk Suret Singh said traffic enforcement remains incomplete as the Kejara system has yet to function as intended.
“Reckless drivers must be awarded demerit points for each offence and their licences should be suspended for six months when demerit points exceed 15,” he said.
Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua also said an improved Kejara system must be urgently put into practice.
“The reintroduction of a demerit point system that could lead to the suspension or even the loss of a driving licence would have a better effect on repeat offenders than just punishing them with fines,” said Law, who heads the university’s Road Safety Research Centre.
He proposed driving refresher courses for commercial drivers and repeat offenders every three to five years.
“Mandatory retraining should also be imposed on drivers who accumulate demerit points or commit serious traffic offences,” he said.
Law also called for the enforcement of speed limiters in heavy vehicles to be sped up, following its deferred enforcement on July 1.
“Although a partial solution, they are an established engineering control that works effectively if installed, maintained and enforced,” he said.
Malaysian Road and Transportation Safety Association president Md Hairolazaman Muhamed Nor urged a shift towards digital enforcement by expanding speed and red-light camera networks.
“This reduces dependence on physical operations, limits human bias and ensures that traffic offences are consistently recorded and acted upon.
“Road safety should not depend solely on changing driver behaviour, but must adopt a wider approach involving infrastructure improvements and safer vehicles,” he said.
