Use of seatbelts must be enforced in buses - RTD

Installing seatbelts in the passenger seats of express buses should be enforced to reduce the risk of death in road accidents.

However, said Road Transport Department (RTD) director Datuk Seri Nadzri Siron, the move required detailed study in the effort to improve the safety of express buses.

"I welcome the suggestion that the use of seatbelts be enforced in express buses as it is among the best measures to reduce loss of lives.

"I will discuss this within the RTD as seatbelts in the passenger seats of express buses will improve the safety system of these buses," he told Bernama.

Nadzri was commenting on a news analysis on bus accidents written by Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman, Datuk Seri Azman Ujang yesterday, saying that there should be preventive measures such as disallowing the drivers to make trips during the 'sleepy hours', and making seatbelts for passengers compulsory.

However, Nadzri said, although the government had not yet made passenger seatbelts compulsory, bus operators could take the initiative of providing them for the public.

In the incident early yesterday, 14 people died while 16 more were injured when the express bus they were travelling in plunged into a ravine and crashed into the concrete wall of an underpass at Kampung Jayor, KM137.3 of the North-South Expressway, near the Pagoh R&R area.

Asked on disallowing express bus drivers from making trips during the "sleepy hours", Nadzri said this had been brought up before for discussion but could not be implemented because of the demand from the industry and public.

"However, we will review it because disallowing express buses from travelling at night and wee hours can help reduce the risk of accidents," he said. -- Bernama