The number of pedesterians killed in Malaysia is most shocking. The fact that 89 children of school going ages (6 to 10 years) old was killed is even more shocking. How many students were killed was not revealed.
The problem is that there is no proper and safe pedestrian lanes in Malaysian roads.
There is even no proper traffic lights in front of many schools to ensure safety of children crossing roads. Install traffic lights at pedestrian crossing that will turn red when people who want to cross roads press the buttons to cross. Until these are in place, maybe the police need to be deployed to control traffic especially for schools to ensure the safety of children. Proper waiting areas for cars and busses dropping off and picking up children must be put in place.
All these deaths are the result of the Barisan Nasional government's (and State Government's) failure to ensure that all pedestrians are properly protected. In fact, many of the new bridges also do not have pedestrian lanes with necessary safeguards to ensure safety of pedestrians. You cannot expect people to be walking on mud and/or rubble - there must be proper lanes with the necessary protection railings. Where there are lanes, then these need to be maintained. There should also be necessary coverings to protect people from rain.
Proper lighting along roads where people stay and move about is also needed to decrease the danger to pedestrians.
The government must ensure safety of pedestrians, cyclist and motorbikes - and there must be proper lanes for all these road users.
Give us detailed statistics of these deaths - and the plans to make it safer for not just pedestrians but also cyclists and motor-cyclists.
Tuesday May 14, 2013
Dept: Fewer pedestrians killed in road accidents
Kuala
Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) director-general Datuk Salleh Yusup (second
from right) at the launching of the national-level road safety week at
Pudu Sentral in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
KUALA LUMPUR:
Fewer pedestrians have died in traffic accidents – with a 2.81% drop in
deaths from January to March compared to the same period last year.
Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Dr Tam Weng Wah said that while this was positive, he hoped for a bigger reduction.
“The number of road deaths involving pedestrians has remained at 530 last year from the same number in 2011.
“Therefore,
it is hoped the number of deaths will continue to reduce,” he said
after launching the national-level road safety week at Pudu Sentral here
yesterday.
Dr Tam said pedestrians were the third largest group
of road accident victims, after motorcyclists and drivers, out of the
total of 6,917 deaths recorded last year.
“Pedestrians make up a
large group of road victims because they are very vulnerable. Deaths
involving child pedestrians are also high because they may have trouble
gauging the right distance,” he said.
Quoting statistics from the
police, Dr Tam said a total of 89 children aged between six and 10 died
on the road in 2011. During the same year, 39 children below five years
of age died in road accidents. - Star,14/5/2013, Dept: Fewer pedestrians killed in road accidents
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