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Published: Sunday October 24, 2010 MYT 6:02:00 PM
Automated enforcement system to be implemented 2011
By RACHEL KAM
KAJANG: The long-proposed Automated Enforcement System will be implemented early next year to reduce accident rates on the road and corruption cases. Under the system, static cameras will be installed at 566 accident black spots on federal, state roads and highways throughout the country. The system is expected to cut road accidents by half, said Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri.
“We will definitely implement the system next year,” he told reporters after launching a road safety campaign in Taman Shah Jaya near here Sunday. Abdul Rahim said the implementation of the system had been delayed to take in various opinions from different parties before making amendments to the Road Transport Act 1987. “Amendment of the act will be tabled for second reading early December.
Hopefully, a lot people will support the proposal, so that the system can be implemented early next year,” he said. Abdul Rahim said system’s effectiveness in reducing road accidents has been proven in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. All had experienced a significant drop in road accidents after adopting the system. Abdul Rahim said the installation of cameras at accident-prone areas would raise the ‘impression of being caught’ feeling among drivers.
Signboards of cameras would be put up to alert drivers to stay within the driving speed limit. “If people know there is a static camera there, they tend to be more careful and reduce their driving speed,” he said. He said photos captured by the cameras would be used as evidence for speeding and other traffic offences.
It would also discourage corruption during road operations, he added. At the road safety campaign on Sunday, Abdul Rahim and Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh gave away 300 helmets to residents in the area. Also present at the event were Hulu Langat Umno division chief Datuk Johan Abd Aziz and deputy chief Datuk Markiman Koriban.
Abdul Rahim said more measures would be taken to reduce road accidents, especially accidents involving of motorcyclists. “In a total of almost 400,000 road accidents (all types) in 2009, 60% involved motorcyclists,” he said, adding that there was also an initiative to educate future car and motorcycle drivers in school about road safety.
