As road deaths rise, where is Miros when we need it most?

Malaysia's road safety landscape is marred by rising death tolls, prompting questions about the effectiveness of existing measures and the role of Miros, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research. Established in 2012 by an act of Parliament, Miros was intended to provide evidence-based guidance to the government, but its influence seems lacking in recent discourse.

With the death toll persistently high, Malaysians are entitled to demand accountability and transparency from Miros. As a hub of expertise, particularly in motorcycle safety, Miros has developed programs like the Malaysian Motorcycle Assessment Programme (MyMAP) to promote safer motorcycle design and equipment. Despite these efforts, one must question whether Miros' insights are being adequately integrated into the national road-safety debate.

With motorcycle users comprising the majority of road fatalities, Miros should be at the forefront of evaluating what strategies have succeeded and those that have failed. The government's recent plan to make ABS compulsory on motorcycles up to 150cc is a step in the right direction, but further evidence-based solutions are needed.

Practical questions like widening motorcycle lanes, banning lane-splitting in hazardous situations, and managing highway lanes for motorcycle convoys deserve attention. The Miros board, comprising senior traffic officials and government representatives, should be providing the uncomfortable scientific advice the government requires.

However, the question remains: are the right people with the right expertise in place to give the government the necessary guidance? The public is growing weary of empty declarations about road safety and demands concrete answers from Miros and the government.