DO WE sue the bus or construction companies responsible, or do we sue the government for not policing the law?

Before the year has even ended, more people have become victims of road fatalities, particularly involving heavy vehicles. Buses ploughing into cars, lorries jumping over highway dividers and crashing onto incoming vehicles – the absurdly tragic headlines never end.

Many bold statements and intended courses of action have been promised by certain parties to curb this menace, but alas it may all seem political, rather than a social obligation.

There was a bold idea of installing cameras in buses at one time. Another was installing speed limit monitors on buses and lorries. What became of these technologically-acclaimed ideas? Are they just politically-motivated statements before an election? Or did we run out of money and decide to conveniently forget the issue altogether?

My fellow Malaysians, I believe the solution is just one simple “idea” away: The authorities should permanently revoke the operating licences of bus/construction companies, should they break the law (i.e. accumulation of summonses or public complaints) or if their buses/lorries/trucks are involved in serious accidents. In cases of accidents involving fatalities, negligent companies should be held accountable and be made to pay compensation to their victims.

This, however, is only one solution. Forget the cameras. Forget the speed limit monitors. All you need is the enforcement of one element – which is the law; law that has already been created but simply awaits actual enforcement by the relevant authorities.

Let’s face it, blaming the driver is not going to solve the issue. There will always be sleepy, lazy, reckless, ignorant bus and lorry drivers. What we can do is punish the companies and operators that keep hiring them. So the relevant ministry or department in charge, do start enforcing the law.

Wan Muhammad Ariff
KL

Source: The Sun – December 30, 2009