Driving a two-wheeled car in Malaysia could be a harmful endeavor. In 2021, bike and scooter riders accounted for seven out of each 10 site visitors fatalities. For context, the nation’s demise charge solely trails behind Thailand. Regardless of these figures, the Malaysian authorities hasn’t sat by idly whereas fatalities proceed to rise.
Authorities beforehand carried out devoted motorcycling lanes on federal highways. Nevertheless, limiting riders to vehicle-specific lanes has confirmed troublesome for native authorities. In Could, 2021, officers reported that 193 motorcyclists already acquired summons (citations) for not using within the designated lanes.
Later that very same yr, in October, 2021, Affiliate Professor of the College Putra Malaysia’s Street Security Analysis Middle Legislation Teik Hua said that “a regulation must be drafted to make sure that when roads are constructed, bike lanes may also be constructed.” He went on to estimate that such a mandate would lower motorcyclist fatalities by 30-40 %.
That should have caught the ear of the Malaysian Transportation Ministry, because the company just lately proposed a plan to include devoted bike lanes on all state and federal roads. As part of the Street Security Plan 2022-2030, which launched in January, 2022, Malaysia hopes to halve its street fatalities by 2030.
Contemplating the truth that many Malaysian riders favor sub-500cc bikes and scooters, segregating the 2/three-wheelers from full-sized autos may instantly contribute to the nation’s security objectives.
“Small bikes will endure from air drift from quicker autos, particularly coaches, vans, and lorries, on highways,” admitted Transport planning marketing consultant Rosli Azad Khan. Although Malaysia mandates helmet use, he went on to counsel that extra protecting gear would assist lower fatalities amongst riders as effectively.
Nonetheless, Malaysian authorities might want to correctly implement using bike lanes for the plan to pay dividends. For now, the proposal has moved on to the Native Authorities Improvement Ministry and native councils. It can go earlier than the Nationwide Bodily Planning Council (MPFN) in 2023.
