Expert: Differentiate urgent operations from genuine emergencies

KUALA LUMPUR: To enhance public safety during night-time enforcement operations, Universiti Putra Malaysia's Road Safety Research Centre head Associate Professor Dr Law Teik Hua has called for stricter standard operating procedures (SOPs). These SOPs should clearly differentiate between urgent operations and genuine emergencies, specifying when enforcement vehicle drivers can operate at elevated speeds or receive emergency driving privileges.

Such guidelines must cover vehicle mechanical condition, driver preparedness, use of passenger restraints, permitted driving speeds, crossing junctions, and coordination with control centres. Dr Law emphasized the importance of these SOPs, particularly in low-visibility conditions, to prevent hazards from being missed by both enforcement and ordinary motorists.

He noted that urgent operations do not always involve high-speed chases, but their urgency must be distinguished from emergencies requiring emergency driving rights. In cases where urgency exists without immediate public safety threats, standard traffic rules should apply. Dr Law stressed that operational effectiveness should not be solely judged by speed, suggesting instead that agencies improve response times through better planning, communication, and inter-agency cooperation.

Drivers operating under high-risk circumstances must undergo specialized defensive driving training, which should be ongoing with annual refresher courses and regular assessments.

The use of emergency lights and sirens should correspond to the level of urgency, with both activated during highly urgent missions to alert other motorists. Strict procedures should govern approaching intersections, crossing red lights, and navigating dense traffic. Police escorts may be warranted for particularly hazardous movements, such as large convoys or critical missions involving extensive road closures.

Dr Law stressed that emergency privileges do not grant drivers license to drive negligently, and they remain fully accountable for the risks they pose to other road users.