DRIVING on a highway with faded lane markings can be disorienting and anxiety-inducing as there is no key visual reference point. It makes it harder to maintain your position on the road and leads to a heightened sense of vulnerability and potential danger.
This was my experience while driving recently along the Federal Highway in the Klang Valley, from Petaling Jaya to Shah Alam. Lane markings on some stretches of the Federal Highway have completely faded away. Without clear lane marks, I had to rely heavily on my peripheral vision and spatial awareness to judge my position on the road, and this created a feeling of not being fully in control
Lane marks on a highway serve the crucial purpose of visually guiding drivers, defining individual lanes of traffic, and ensuring proper lane positioning, thereby significantly enhancing road safety by minimising accidents caused by improper lane changes and promoting smooth traffic flow.
New cars are now equipped with sensors that give an audio and visual alarm when the car strays out of the lane. Distinct lane markings are needed for car lane sensors to work effectively. Car lane sensors cannot operate on roads with completely faded markings.
I believe the Public Works Department (JKR) is responsible for painting lane markings. When the proper type of road paint is used, markings can last four to five years. Usually when we come across a road without any markings, it is either because the road has been recently resurfaced or faded lane markings were not repainted.
For newly resurfaced roads, the tarmac is susceptible to surface damage for several days. That is why it takes a while before lane markings are painted on a newly resurfaced road. Faded road markings are the result of natural wear caused by traffic and weather, or the use of incorrect paints. It was reported in August 2024 that a contractor engaged to paint road markings in Seri Iskandar, Perak, used house paint. That could be a reason why lane markings fade faster than usual on some roads.
Road markings are a fundamental part of road safety. They help drivers navigate the road safely and comfortably, especially at night. JKR could help to reduce road accidents by regularly monitoring the condition of lane markings and ensuring contractors engaged to paint lane markings use the correct road paints.
WONG SOO KAN
Petaling Jaya
