Authorities urged to take action against negligent bus drivers

A Bernama check at the Bentayan Bus Station here found many passengers who were dissatisfied with the careless and irresponsible attitude of some express bus drivers.

Yesterday, Bernama reported that police would investigate two video recordings made by a passenger showing a bus driver using his handphone and smoking while driving from the Tangkak toll plaza to the Bentayan Bus Station which later went viral on the social media.

On Dec 24, an accident involving an express bus occurred at KM137.3 of the North-South Expressway (northbound), killing 14 people and injuring 16 others.

A college student in Kuala Lumpur, Suhadah Johan, 21, said she did not agree with the bus driver using his handphone while driving.

"I can accept smoking while driving because that could be one way drivers deal with their boredom and sleepiness, but I cannot accept them using the handphone while driving because this is very dangerous.

"Even a small negligent act could be dangerous to the safety of passengers," said Suhadah, who often travels by express bus to return home, here.

Expressing similar sentiments, Norhafizah Saidin, 43, urged the authorities to take immediate stern action against bus drivers through legal means as it involved the safety and lives of the public.

"There are specific laws in our country to control this, perhaps we just lack enforcement.

"Even so, I feel this issue should not only be dealt by the authorities because what is also important is the awareness of all road users," Norhafizah, a civil servant in Kuala Lumpur, said.

Student Mohd Farid Irwan, 17, said bus companies should monitor the discipline of their drivers so that they behaved more responsibly when driving.