Road traffic accidents in Malaysia in 2023 – recorded 600,000 cases; 6,443 deaths, 65% related to motorcyclists

A total of around 600,000 road accidents were recorded throughout 2023 and during that time 6,443 people died in road accidents, meaning an average of 18 people died every day last year. Of these casualties, 65% were motorcyclists, including both the motorcyclist and the passenger, between 16 and 35 years old.

These figures were shared by Transport Minister Anthony Loke at a press conference yesterday, and the figures are said to be due to a number of factors, including the attitude of road users, increasing numbers of vehicles on the road, weak enforcement and political will, as well as subpar standards. public transportation network.

In addition to the human cost, there is of course the monetary cost of each death that occurs as a result of a road traffic accident. The Ministry of Transport revealed that this equates to a loss of RM3.1 million per road fatality.

This figure takes into account the loss of a competent individual in the workplace, as a core member of their family or household, as well as in terms of their financial contribution to society. Over a period of one year, the financial loss the country suffered due to death or injury due to accidents was estimated at RM9.28 billion.

According to the Ministry, the increasing number of vehicles on the road is also the cause of an increase in the number of accidents. Data from 2019 shows there were more than 31 million registered vehicles, including motorbikes, and five years later, in 2023, that number has increased to more than 36 million vehicles.

To reduce the possibility of traffic accidents, one way is to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. Regarding the efforts of the Malaysian government, a subsidy budget of RM200 million has been allocated for bus and train ticketsAccording to the Ministry, a ridership of 200,000 users has been achieved.

Deployment Targeted fuel subsidies It also hopes to encourage more road users to use public transport in their daily routine.

Further efforts in reducing the number of deaths on the roads should also include strict action against truck drivers who violate laws relating to maximum weight limits and these excess truck weights as well. contributes to the deterioration of roads and highways.

This course of action did not make the government popular, and this prompted the relevant authorities to not only issue summons but also confiscate trucks that violated the law. Some trucks have been found to exceed 150% of the maximum allowable weight and confiscating these offending vehicles will indirectly improve the safety of other road users around them.

Separately at the briefing, Loke announced that the Ministry of Transport There are no plans to force the installation of dash cams on all domestic transport, although motorists are encouraged to do so.

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