Kerajaan sasar kurang 50% kemalangan maut menjelang 2030

The Malaysian government, through the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Traffic Management, has set a target to reduce road fatalities, particularly those involving motorcyclists, by 50% by 2030. Transportation Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi emphasized that the success of the initiative is measured not by the number of campaigns or operations conducted, but by the lives saved on the roads.

He stressed the importance of strengthening coordination, resources, and accountability between ministries and agencies to ensure interventions not only take place but also lead to measurable reductions in deaths and serious injuries. Last year, 6,537 lives were lost due to road accidents, averaging about 18 fatalities each day.

Zahid was more concerned about the disproportionate contribution of motorcyclists, who account for approximately 66% of all fatalities despite making up only 14% of the vehicles involved in accidents. He pointed out that nearly two out of every three road deaths involve a motorcyclist or pillion rider. Zahid noted that these figures indicate the government can no longer rely on conventional approaches, instead, interventions need to be more targeted towards high-risk groups and address other factors such as infrastructure safety, health, education, empowerment, and urban planning comprehensively.

He also stressed that the socio-economic losses due to road fatalities last year were estimated at around RM30 billion, based on the Value of Statistical Life (VOSL) approach. Zahid further noted that the Safety Framework for Road Operations (SAFERO) program will be implemented in phases through cooperation between the Transport Ministry, Petronas, the Department of Civil Works, the Road Transport Department (JPJ), and the Malaysian Road Safety Research Institute.

SAFERO will leverage industry expertise in defensive driving, fatigue management, and driver behavior monitoring to enhance the competence and professionalism of heavy vehicle operators. Additionally, Zahid mentioned that the Traffic Police-led Preventive Operations will be strengthened through cooperation with the police, JPJ, and employers, using data to identify high-risk organizations and areas.

He explained that the Perkeso data shows that work-related travel accidents' fatalities in 2025 are 2.4 times higher than industrial accidents. Preventive Operations, a private sector or soft approach program by Perkeso, aims to increase awareness among employers and workers to adopt a safety culture. Zahid emphasized that road safety is a shared responsibility requiring a holistic community approach.

"The success of our road safety measures is not measured by how many campaigns or operations we conduct, but by how many lives we save," he concluded.