THE Association for the Improvement of Mass-Transit (Transit) was shocked to learn of the express bus accident at the North-South Expressway stretch near Ipoh which killed 10 people. It seems we have not learned anything from the past.

This accident shares a striking similarity to the Rawang express bus accident eight months ago – both involved double-decker express buses driven by fatigued drivers during the wee hours, and all but one of the fatalities were recorded on the lower deck on the side of the bus which had been ripped open like a sardine can by the impact of the rigid, sharp edges of the metal guardrail.

Transit calls upon accountable parties to take action to prevent such horrible accidents recurring. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of those who lost their lives or were injured as a result of this senseless tragedy. Every time accidents like this happen and every time we respond, we always hope it will be the last. Sadly, they never seem to end. Careless driving, poorly designed roads and unsafe buses are causing carnage on our roads.

Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia and PLUS should be taken to task for failing to ensure the efficacy of current vehicle restraint systems on their expressways even after the Malaysian Institute Of Road Safety Research made public its findings on the Rawang accident – that lower deck passengers were killed due to the improper installation of the guardrail.

Transit
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Source: The Sun – December 29, 2009