LETTER | Road accidents costs the country immeasureably

LETTER | The increasing number of road accidents in all categories every year surely is something disappointing to most Malaysians who follow the statistics.

The rising number of deaths from all road accidents is also a perturbing matter.

It shows that the many road users of Malaysia have not been able to overcome a major obstacle of avoiding getting involved in accidents which not only kill some but also injure and maim many others.

Road accidents cost the economy, and the social and physical cost is unimaginable and scary.

This means that new approaches must be instituted to ensure that, going forward, the numbers in all possible accident categories are reset to be on the downtrend.

As educating the public is seen to be the most viable means of improving the awareness level of the risks involved on roads, an improved version of the present system has to be put in place.

I am proposing that our pupils at the Primary school level are, from the onset, ready for their future ventures on the road at an early age via a school curriculum method.

The idea is that they will be ingrained from early on to be roadworthy users, whether as simple pedestrians to heavy vehicle truck drivers.

As only fate and destiny will forge their journey in life, a preparation of sorts on the part of the government will ensure a safer path for the respective road user, whether as a child or an adult.

This method is surely a guaranteed method of preparation which will ultimately culminate in the child, upon reaching maturity at the age of between 18 to 21, being allowed to sit for the necessary road user examinations, which will determine their eligibility to ply the roads with any vehicle of choice.

Surely a better-informed person and society about road usage will bring down the high number now seen every year, but the teaching has to start from the young for a long-term solution.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.