Kuala Lumpur: The Alliance for a Safe Community has praised the government's decision to create a comprehensive database of errant drivers, emphasizing its importance in preventing individuals with severe traffic offences from driving public or heavy transport vehicles.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the chairman of the alliance, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, urged for the swift implementation of the database, which should catalog offences such as reckless driving, speeding, substance abuse, dangerous overtaking, and causing fatalities. "Such a database should have been initiated earlier. Drivers with repeated or severe offences should be immediately disqualified from driving heavy vehicles. Safety must come before employment," Lee asserted in a statement.
Lee also called for a thorough audit and screening of all current heavy vehicle drivers, including bus drivers, to ensure that individuals with poor driving records are not permitted to continue operating on the road. He emphasized, "The safety of the public should never be compromised by leniency or bureaucratic delay."
Furthermore, the alliance advocated for transport companies to be held accountable under corporate liability provisions. Lee, who also serves on the Road Safety Council, stated that companies hiring known errant drivers should face strict penalties. "There should be corporate liability provisions in place, so that transport operators are directly responsible for verifying the competence, training, and track record of their drivers," he said.
He cited the recent Gerik bus crash as an incident that could have been prevented with rigorous enforcement. "The recent Gerik bus crash tragedy would not have happened if the errant bus driver and the bus had been taken off the road through strong and uncompromising enforcement with integrity," Lee noted.
Lee warned that policy effectiveness hinges on consistent enforcement, including random checks, dashcams and telematics, black box systems, and strict rest hour regulations. "We cannot afford to wait until the next horrific accident makes headlines. The time to act is now," he insisted.
He urged all stakeholders, including enforcement agencies, the Transport Ministry, commercial vehicle companies, and drivers, to collaborate in enhancing road safety. The call to action follows a tragic incident on June 9, where a chartered bus carrying 42 Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students from Jertih, Terengganu, to Tanjung Malim, Perak, collided with a Perodua Alza and overturned, resulting in 15 student fatalities.