{
  "id": 10109009,
  "title": "Our roads may differ, but safety standards shouldn’t",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/our-roads-may-differ-but-safety-standards-shouldnt-10109009",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-27T01:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2026/09/27/our-roads-may-differ-but-safety-standards-shouldn-t"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysia possesses road safety standards, including engineering manuals, design guidelines, Road Safety Audits and experienced professionals. However, the question arises as to whether each Malaysian receives the same minimum level of protection, regardless of the road authority responsible. A motorcyclist's vulnerability is not diminished when transitioning from a federal road to a state road, nor should a parent sending their child to school require knowledge of the road's governing authority. Similarly, an elderly person navigating to a bus stop is unaware of which department manages the crossing. Despite these disparities, our roads are managed by various governmental levels. Federal roads, state roads, expressways and local authority roads possess distinct purposes, responsibilities and funding arrangements. Such differences are justified. Expressways necessitate a different design compared to residential streets, rural roads require distinct requirements from busy town centers, and kampung roads cannot simply mirror the design of urban arterial roads in Kuala Lumpur. The idea is not to make every Malaysian road identical, but to ascertain if every road should meet an agreed minimum safety level. Malaysia has established its direction through the Malaysia Road Safety Plan 2022–2030, aiming for a 50% reduction in road deaths by 2030 and prioritizing safer infrastructure. The objective is clear; however, ensuring the entire system contributes to this goal poses a challenge. When a severe crash occurs, inquiries focus on the driver's speed, the motorcyclist's carelessness or the adequacy of enforcement. Yet, these should not be the sole questions. Was the road designed considering the actual vehicle speeds? Could pedestrians cross the road safely? Were motorcyclists adequately accounted for? Was the junction designed to minimize hazardous conflicts? Was the road properly maintained? Had the area surrounding the road undergone changes that altered public usage patterns? Additionally, when an ordinary human error occurs, does the road environment assist in preventing that mistake from resulting in a fatality or severe injury? This line of thinking underpins the Safe System approach. Mistakes will be made; therefore, our roads should be designed to ensure that these mistakes do not inevitably result in fatalities. Considering that motorcycles constitute part of daily mobility in Malaysia, any road safety framework that overlooks motorcyclists from the outset will struggle to accurately depict the reality of our roads. Likewise, road safety must consider pedestrians, children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, cyclists and those walking to public transportation. Consequently, road safety cannot be evaluated solely based on the efficient movement of vehicles. It must also encompass the safety of individuals riding to work, walking to school, crossing roads or reaching bus stops. Malaysia's challenge lies not in the absence of technical guidance. We already possess substantial engineering and planning standards. The question, therefore, is whether their implementation across federal, state and local roads ultimately provides a common minimum level of protection. We are not suggesting that our existing system has failed; rather, we aim to strengthen what we currently possess. JKR's Road Safety Audit guidance acknowledges the significance of enhanced consistency in managing and implementing safety audits across various authorities. Malaysia's road environments are also evolving. A road initially constructed primarily for traffic movement may eventually be surrounded by residences, shops, schools, factories and bus stops. More people begin walking and crossing, while an increasing number of vehicles enter and depart from roadside premises. Motorcycle activity also rises. The road may retain its classification, but the manner in which people utilize it has altered. Our safety approach must be adaptable to such changes. Consequently, Malaysia should initiate discussions regarding a common national road safety floor. The concept is straightforward: despite different roads having distinct functions and local contexts, there should be one unified minimum level of safety. A school zone must provide an agreed-upon minimum level of protection regardless of whether it is adjacent to a federal, state or local road. Pedestrian facilities must reflect the actual speed and risk of the road. Motorcycle safety must be considered in barriers, road surfaces, intersections and other conflict points. Road Safety Audits should identify significant risks and ensure their proper resolution. Roads should continue to be assessed as they adapt to traffic, development and community changes. This does not imply replacing JKR standards or removing decision-making authority from state and local governments. Furthermore, it should not transform into a federal exercise imposed upon them. A national safety floor must be developed collectively, acknowledging each level of government's responsibilities, expertise, local conditions and implementation capacities. This is crucial because not all authorities possess the same resources. A large city council may have substantial engineering capability, whereas a smaller municipal or district council may confront entirely different constraints. If we concur on higher national expectations, we must also discuss technical support, capacity building, funding and practical implementation. Thus, I believe we should commence by gathering everyone at the same table. Malaysia should convene a National Roundtable on Safe Road and Street Standards, bringing together federal, state and local government, alongside road engineers, planners, researchers, road safety institutions and road user representatives. The initial question should be: what minimum level of safety should no Malaysian road be allowed to fall below? From there, we can examine what works effectively, identify areas requiring greater consistency and determine where adjustments are necessary.",
  "summary": "Malaysians should not be subject to unequal levels of road-safety protection simply because a road falls under a different jurisdiction.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Our roads may differ, but safety standards shouldn’t",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/our-roads-may-differ-but-safety-standards-shouldnt",
        "published": "2026-09-27T01:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}