Tuesday May 14, 2013

Dept: Fewer pedestrians killed in road accidents

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) director-general Datuk Salleh Yusup (second from right) at the launching of the national-level road safety week at Pudu Sentral in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Fewer pedestrians have died in traffic accidents – with a 2.81% drop in deaths from January to March compared to the same period last year.

Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Dr Tam Weng Wah said that while this was positive, he hoped for a bigger reduction.

“The number of road deaths involving pedestrians has remained at 530 last year from the same number in 2011.

“Therefore, it is hoped the number of deaths will continue to reduce,” he said after launching the national-level road safety week at Pudu Sentral here yesterday.

Dr Tam said pedestrians were the third largest group of road accident victims, after motorcyclists and drivers, out of the total of 6,917 deaths recorded last year.

“Pedestrians make up a large group of road victims because they are very vulnerable. Deaths involving child pedestrians are also high because they may have trouble gauging the right distance,” he said.

Quoting statistics from the police, Dr Tam said a total of 89 children aged between six and 10 died on the road in 2011. During the same year, 39 children below five years of age died in road accidents.

More News