KUALA LUMPUR: Tackling illegal street racing requires a collective effort that goes beyond the enforcement of tougher laws with families, schools and communities joining forces to instil responsible road behaviour among young people, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
The Road Safety Council member who welcomed the recent amendments of the Road Transport Act 1987 said the measures to empower authorities to act against illegal racing and syndicates that undermine enforcement operations were timely and necessary.
Lee said illegal street racing was not merely a traffic offence but a serious public safety threat that endangered participants, innocent motorists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and other road users.
“No one should have to fear for their lives because others choose to turn public roads into racing circuits,” said the Alliance for a Safe Community chairman.
He said illegal street racing could involve organised groups that coordinated activities, evaded enforcement and deliberately obstructed police operations.
"Action must therefore extend beyond individual riders to include organisers, syndicates and others found to be facilitating or profiting from these dangerous activities, in accordance with the law," he said.
However, Lee said stronger legislation alone would not solve the problem, with effective enforcement essential to translating the amendments into real improvements in road safety.
He called on police and relevant authorities to identify hotspots, particularly roads where illegal racing frequently occurred during late-night hours, weekends and public holidays.
"Operations should be intelligence-led, supported by surveillance technology and conducted regularly rather than only during high-profile crackdowns, he said.
Lee also urged authorities to target organisers and syndicates, with investigations following the evidence and where applicable, focusing on those who financed, promoted or facilitated illegal racing.
Lee said the police, Road Transport Department (JPJ), local authorities and other relevant agencies must coordinate their operations, intelligence-sharing and follow-up action.
He said those who violated the law must face appropriate consequences, with investigations and prosecutions pursued efficiently and cases handled by the courts in accordance with due process.
Lee said technology, including closed-circuit television (CCTV), automatic number plate recognition and other appropriate surveillance tools, could help identify repeat offenders, establish the involvement of organisers and support investigations through digital evidence.
He said the authorities, schools, parents and community organisations should work together to discourage dangerous riding and promote responsible road behaviour.
Lee said safe and properly regulated motorsports facilities could also provide a legitimate alternative for those interested in competitive racing.
