Use of retread tyres by heavy vehicles dangerous to road users

The use of retread tyres by heavy vehicles such as lorries and trailers can be dangerous and prone to road accidents, said a lorry driver today.

It was feared that the attitude of some employers who preferred to use retreaded tyres compared to the originals could be among the major causes of road accidents involving lorries and trailers, said Malaysian Lorry Drivers Club patron Ahmad Faizol Yaakop.

Ahmad Faizol, 28, who has 10 years experience in the freight forwarding industry, also said that many employers preferred to use retreaded tyres as the price was much cheaper than new tyres without thinking of the risks involved.

"Although the cost is cheaper, retreaded tyres are very dangerous because they can explode at any time ... even worse, debris from exploded retreaded tyres can break the windscreen of any nearby car due to the materials used," he told Bernama here.

Ahmad Faizol whose job is ferrying trailer laden with imported luxury cars and based in Port Klang, said retreaded tyres were available with prices as low as RM500 to RM600 per unit compared to the prices of original tyres that can fetch up to RM2,000 (per unit) depending on the brand.

Asked about the proposal to overcome accidents involving lorry and trailer drivers, Ahmad Faizol said drivers should get enough sleep and rest to ensure that they always focus on driving.

"I always sleep on the road side of the highway before proceeding from Port Klang to the northern region which normally takes two days for each cargo shipment," said Ahmad Faizol who hails from Taiping and has been working since he was 18 years old.

He said among the other factors that contribute to accidents involving lorry or trailer drivers was the pressure from the employers who wanted the cargo to reach the destinations fast.

Meanwhile, another truck driver, Shamsuri Abdul Arip, 41, also agreed that having enough rest was very important for drivers to ensure a safe journey.

"Usually the lorry drivers don't get enough sleep due to far-flung destinations... it's very dangerous if the drivers did not get enough rest. Just try to come along with us to experience all the challenges we face in carrying out our jobs," said Shamsuri who drove three times a week to the same destination.

Meanwhile, Road Safety Department (JKJR) director-general Datuk Arifin Che Mat when contacted by Bernama, said the cause of accidents involving lorry and trailer drivers was still under investigation by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the Malaysian Institute Road Safety Research (Miros).

"I think it's better to wait for the outcome of the investigation instead of me making speculation ... after all, it involves a variety of issues," he said.

On April 2, police arrested the driver of the trailer involved in the KM403.3 accident in the North-South Expressway near Tanjung Malim toll plaza resulting in six family members being killed in the incident at 7.40am.

On April 6, a passenger was killed and two others injured after the car they were travelling in collided with a lorry at KM 17, Jalan Samalaju-Bintulu, Sarawak in the incident at about 1.30am.

-- BERNAMA