Reintroducing speed limiters and beacons for heavy vehicles can help reduce speeding accidents and save lives on highways

ROAD safety campaigns, stringent fines, speed traps and the media splashing pictures of crashed, mangled and twisted vehicles involved in horrific accidents have failed to impact the attitudes of heavy vehicle drivers.

The onus is on the driver to obey the traffic rules and keep to the permitted speed limit. Many drivers of heavy vehicles tend to throw caution to the wind and speed recklessly beyond the permitted speeds.

And when there is hardly any traffic on the highway, especially during the early morning hours, they will accelerate to the maximum.

When heavy vehicles are driven at high speeds, it can cause braking problems during an emergency or when a tyre punctures. 

The heavy vehicle will either skid or crash into another vehicle in front.  

Horrific pictures of twisted metal and wrecked carriage are the result of speeding. The speed limit of heavy vehicles including express buses, trailers and lorries on the highways and expressways is 90kph. But sadly, no heavy vehicle driver observes that speed limit.

Heavy vehicle mishaps are generally due to driver fatigue, carelessness, poor vision and driving dangerously at high speeds.

If the government is serious about reducing heavy vehicle road casualties, then it has to take proactive and drastic measures.

Speeding has been identified as one of the main causes of accidents in this country. 

Years ago, heavy vehicles – particularly express buses and lorries – were fitted with speed-warning beacons. 

When these vehicles exceeded the speed limit, the beacon would flash and an internal alarm would trigger. 

This was a highly effective system that ensured heavy vehicles adhered to permitted speeds.

The flashing beacon served as an indicator to the public and enforcement authorities, while the internal alarm provided feedback to those on board. 

Hopefully these roof-mounted beacon lights for heavy vehicles would be reintroduced as they have been effective in reducing heavy vehicle crashes and the loss of lives of innocent passengers and road users.

And why are drivers with unpaid summonses driving express buses on our highways? 

The maximum speed permitted for heavy vehicles is 90kph on our highways.

Puspakom should engage engineers and technicians to recalibrate the speedometer and limit the speed capacity of express buses and lorries to 90kph.  

This would prevent heavy vehicles from speeding recklessly and turning our roads into “killing fields”.

It is heartbreaking to read about express bus crashes on our highways, especially during festive seasons. 

Happy and joyful occasions are turned into sad and painful moments for the loved ones of victims who lose their lives in such tragic incidents.

Since changing the attitude of heavy vehicle drivers is an uphill task, implementing speed limiters is a practical way to reduce road fatalities caused by speeding.

The longer we wait to implement these fool-proof devices on heavy vehicles, the more accidents will happen and lives be lost because of speeding heavy vehicles.

Samuel Yesuiah
Seremban

 The Sun Malaysia