JULY 28 — Malaysians, we need to talk about your driving. Tailgating. Swerving. Motorcycles zig zagging to the left and to the right. No turn signals.
Anyone who drives the nation’s roads will encounter an alarming abundance of carnage.
The first time I ever saw a dead body lying on the highway was here in Malaysia —and I can assure you that was not the only time.
The World Health Organisation says Malaysia, with a population of roughly 30 million people, had 7,129 road deaths in 2013 or 24 per 100,000 people.
As a point of comparison, Singapore’s rate was 3.6/100,000, Cambodia was 17.4, the United States was 10.6 and the UK was 2.9.
I drive to Melaka and back roughly once a month and the number of demented drivers I encounter is astonishing.
Do these people think that if they pray hard enough, they won’t die if their Mercedes hits a motorcycle going 140 km/hr? Do they think that they possess some sort of amazing superpowers that will protect them if they rear end another car going 140 km/hr?
Do they think that a mother’s arms are somehow stronger than a child seat and they can keep a small child from flying through the windshield if they stopped suddenly?
What is it about getting into the driver’s seat of a two ton vehicle that makes regular people think they’re indestructible? I wish I knew.
The aforementioned statistics should be enough to scare anyone into action, but even mentioning the recklessness of the local drivers will result in a dismissive smirk or even chest thumping pride.
This is not a joke.
Approximately 19.5 people die per day in Malaysia due to car accidents and I don’t think that anyone really gives a damn.
That strange chest thumping pride goes away quickly when it’s your family member who is maimed or killed.
Now we have the million dollar question — what can be done to reduce this type of road carnage? First, from a young age, Malaysians need to be taught that tailgating, swerving through traffic and running stop lights (yes, even for motorcyclists) increase their chances of prematurely meeting their maker.
Watching videos while driving just might be the dumbest thing I see on the roads, but sadly it’s hardly a rare occurrence.
Students have to be made aware of how dangerous this is and it must be beaten into their heads while they’re still young enough — and maybe they can even teach their parents a lesson, as well.
Finally, the police must actually start taking action against speeders, illegal lane changers, road bullies, drunk drivers and wrong way drivers (and riders).
We Americans often complain about the police who patrol our roadways, but I’d almost prefer aggressive American policing to the non-existent kind in Malaysia.
Frankly, I’m tired of driving nervously down the North-South Highway, only to look in my rearview mirror to see some jackass in a BMW, or a superhero in a MyVi one metre from my bumper.
I’m tired of seeing the nasty chain reaction accidents cleared to the side of the road that could have been avoided if people had only backed off a bit.
I’m sick and tired of seeing the police or paramedics working to cover the dead body of a poor soul whose life was cut short.
Do I think anything will change because of this article? Sadly no. I’ve been living here on and off since 2006 and the accident mortality rate has stayed consistently high.
The only thing that may change Malaysians’ minds is when the families of those 19.5 dead motorists per day demand that the government do something.
Until that day happens, we will continue to hear “Malaysia boleh.”
* Aaron Donchin is a lecturer at a local college. If you’d like to read more more of his writings, go to this link.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.
