PETALING JAYA: Malaysia suffered socio-economic losses of around RM30bil last year from road accidents, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the estimation, made using the Value of Statistical Life approach, proves investment in road safety is not merely expenditure but one that saves lives, protects families and reduces losses to the national economy.
As the government has set a target to reduce road crash fatalities by 50% by 2030, Ahmad Zahid said coordination of policies, resources and accountability among ministries and agencies will be enhanced to achieve it.
“These must be strengthened so that every intervention is not only implemented but also yields measurable reductions in fatalities and serious injuries,” he said in a statement after chairing a Cabinet committee meeting on road safety and congestion.
Statistics show 6,537 lives were lost to road accidents in 2025, or averaging 18 fatalities per day.
Ahmad Zahid said of particular concern was that although 14% of vehicles involved in accidents were motorcycles, motorcyclists and pillion riders accounted for about 66% of all road fatalities.
“This means that nearly two out of every three road deaths involve motorcyclists or pillion riders. This figure indicates that we can no longer rely on business-as-usual approaches.
“Interventions must be more targeted towards high-risk groups, while simultaneously addressing other factors such as infrastructure safety, health, education, enforcement, and urban planning in a more comprehensive manner,” he added.
Ahmad Zahid said to enhance heavy vehicle safety, the Road Safety Framework Programme will be implemented in phases.
The programme will be a collaboration among the Transport Ministry, PETRONAS, Land Public Transport Agency, Road Transport Department, and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research.
“Industry expertise in defensive driving and driver behaviour monitoring will be leveraged to improve the competence and professionalism of heavy vehicle drivers.
“While the government can provide policies, infrastructure and enforcement, a culture of safety can only be cultivated when the industry, employers, and every road user play their respective roles,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid said the meeting also focused on the traffic dispersal plan ahead of the commencement of the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link operations.
“The project is set to alter commuter movement patterns, particularly around the Johor Baru city centre and areas directly connected to the system, necessitating inter-agency coordination and integration with public transport networks to prevent the emergence of new traffic congestion hotspots,” he said.
Meanwhile, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi echoed Ahmad Zahid’s call, saying losses from road accidents were assessed based on the economic value associated with lost productivity and income, treatment costs, and the impact on families and society.
“We cannot accept 18 deaths a day as the norm,” he said in a Facebook post.
Nanta is concerned that 81% of accidents were linked to human factors.
“This demonstrates that road safety is not the responsibility of a single ministry alone, a point I consistently emphasise in my speeches.
“It requires a holistic approach involving education, enforcement, technology and safer infrastructure.
“The ministry’s stance is clear. We do not want to merely repair roads after accidents occur; we aim to build and maintain safer roads that minimise risks and human error,” he said.
