Essay: INCREASED RATE OF ROAD ACCIDENTS IN MALAYSIA

I. INTRODUCTION

A research by University of Michigan (2014) found that Malaysia ranked top 17th in the death rate on the roads of the world with 30 deaths per 100,000 citizen compare to Singapore and France with only 6 peoples. Road accidents in Malaysia is in anxiety situation. Ir. Nordin (2013) found the statistic of increase death on the road from year 2003 with 6,286 deaths to 6,917 deaths in the year 2012. Thus, it has a several cause and effect of increased rate of road accidents in Malaysia. Negligence while driving is the main cause and as the effects are death or loss of life, handicapped and damage the property.

II. BODY

A. The main cause of road accidents happened is negligent or careless while driving.Negligence on the road can be classified into three situations which are depressing, driving while doing other work and drunk driving.

1. Depression can cause a person cannot concentrate while driving. a. Driver’s mind may be filled with problems and it bothers the driver while on the road.

b. Driving skills can be negatively impacted if the driver’s in unstable condition in terms of physically, such as in worried, upset and frightened situation.

2. An other types of negligence is driving while doing other work.

a. Doing the other work while driving such as idly chatting with friends, eating, smoking and use mobile phone. The study from Monash University Accident Research Centre (2011) found that intoxicated drivers caused 13.5% of accident, drivers falling asleep resulted in 11.8% of accident and 3.2% of accidents were caused by passenger interactions.

i. Usually, drivers use a mobile phone to read and send messages while driving and it distracted the drivers. The rate of new compound traffic summons for drivers while using mobile for lorry or bus is RM90, taxi,van or car is RM70 and motorcycles is RM50.

3. According to Alex Tan (2008), driving under the influence of alcohol contribute to increase number of road accidents.

a. The driver loses ability to control vehicle due to the influence of alcohol.

i. Alcohol can reduce the ability to see far objects, make the driver have blurred vision and reduce the ability to see what is happening.

B. As a conclusion, the road accidents is caused by the negligence of the driver itself and drivers need to change theirself to avoid from road accident happened. Referring to the previously cause that mentioned of road accidents, its effects which are death or loss of life, handicapped and damage the property.

C. Death or loss of life, handicapped and damage the property are the effect of road accidents.

1. Every year hundreds of people die in road accidents and this result in the loss of life or death. Country loss productive workforce and the family loss their family members.

a. The most obvious implication for country is in terms of cost of lost labor and death of loved person can lead to a variety feelings.

i. Development of country will be affected because loss productive workforce and family need time to accept the reality of what happened to their family.

2. There are some people who save when the accident, but suffered a disability as crippled, blind and amputated leg or loss memory.

a. Handicapped person due to the road accident loses their jobs and income.

i. It’s make their life become difficult and the victims need time to accept the truth about disability that incurred.

3. Road accidents affect damage to driver’s property and government property.

a. The vehicle breaks down and needs to be repaired while the road conditions were also be damaged and make trouble for other users.

III. CONCLUSION

Due to negligence while driving, it’s effect death or loss of life, handicapped and damage the property. There are several ways to reduce the rate of road accidents in Malaysia are the drivers need to improve their attitudes itself, mass media can make campaign, government improved road conditions and restrictions of road and patrols must routinely carried out by the Malaysian’s Road Transport Department (JPJ), Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) or the Land Public Transport Commission Malaysia (SPAD). As a conclusion, everyone should cooperate each other to avoid road accidents happened.