SHAH ALAM, Jan 6 — A total of 223 accidents caused by various road issues including potholes and cracks due to constructions were recorded in Selangor from 2018 till the end of last year, according to the police.
Selangor Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief Superintendent Azman Shari’at said of the total number of accidents, 148 were fatal, 34 caused serious injuries, minor injuries (37 cases) and no injuries (four cases).
“Motorcyclists made up the highest number of victims in fatal accidents caused by the physical condition roads, namely 116 cases, followed by car drivers and passengers (26 cases), lorry drivers and conductors (six cases) and van drivers and passengers (one case).
“However, the police do not rule out the possibility that the accidents could be due to the negligence of the road users themselves, including driving above the speed limit. It is not just the physical condition of the road,” he said at a press conference here, today.
He said most of the accident cases involving the physical condition of the road occurred on state and city roads.
Meanwhile, he said overall, 123,244 road accident cases were recorded in Selangor last year, involving 764 fatal accidents resulting in 805 deaths, with 108,705 of those cases involving car drivers and passengers and 18,606 involving motorcyclists.
Commenting on cycling activities in Selangor, Azman said the police always monitored the roads to ensure riders complied with the rules, and so far, no summonses have been issued.
He said according to records from 2018 till last year, a total of 299 accidents involved cyclists, and of that number, only six involved casual riders.
“In Selangor, many foreign workers ride bicycles as a means of transportation, and even (most of the) accident cases involve this group. However, due to the increase in popularity of leisure cycling activities, the police have taken the approach of advising cyclists to always abide by the rules.
“There is nothing stopping cyclists from riding on roads, except the highway, but to avoid accidents, they need to remain careful and vigilant, because the roads are also used by various types of vehicles such as lorries,” he said.
— Bernama
