KenaSaman.com

IT is going to be a “scary” ride home for motorists during the ba­­lik kampung rush this coming Hari Raya. Unlike previous years, there will be no goodie bags or piping cuppas.

Instead, what will be “served” at rest areas and selected stretches will be pictures of gory accidents and gruesome injuries — to shock everyone into driving safely.

This is the scare tactic the Road Transport Department will em­­ploy to stem the rising accident rate during festive periods.

During the Raya balik kampung rush last year, 261 road fatalities were recorded, compared to 208 in 2008 and 225 in 2007.

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KUALA TERENGGANU: Motorists, be forewarned. Do not expect a goodie bag or a piping cuppa on your balik kampung rush this coming Hari Raya.

Instead, what will be “served” at rest areas and selected stretches will be pictures of gory accidents and gruesome injuries - to “shock” everyone into driving safely back home.

Road Transport Department director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan, who announced this, said the time had come to introduce scare tactics as previous campaigns did not seem to work.

During the Raya balik kampung rush last year, 261 road fatalities were recorded, compared to 208 in 2008 and 225 in 2007.

“Instead of wishing Selamat Ha­­ri Raya to motorists, our offi­cers will relay the greeting of Se­la­mat Guna­kan Jalan Raya (be safe on the road),’’ he said after attending a com­munity event organised by the department at the orang as­­li settlement in Sungai Berua near Kuala Be­­rang.

It has been a practice over the past few years for motorists on balik kampung journeys to be served with refreshments at selected rest areas and petrol kiosks.

To further “drive home the message,” Solah said pamphlets with statistics of accidents that occurred at all killer stretches and the num­ber of deaths recorded would also be distributed to motorists.

He said a total of 202 roads and highways have been identified as “killer stretches”, (see box) adding that these spots would be given extra attention during the balik kampung rush this Hari Raya.

“This will include round-the-clock enforcement and surveillance,’’ he added.

Solah said 4,600 department officers would be deployed, adding that officers would also be stationed at 36 bus terminals na­tionwide the week before and after Hari Raya to check on express buses, drivers’ licences, log books and conduct urine tests with the cooperation of the police anti-narcotics unit.

He said taxi drivers would also be booked if they tried to overcharge passengers or refused to use meters.

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PETALING JAYA: Road accident victims will be the stars of Kisah Benar (True Events) video recording by the Road Safety Department.

The Department will release two VCDs showing true and graphic accident stories, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha.

“The accident victims featured in the VCDs are actually Road Safety ambassadors from various states,” he said in a statement yesterday.

“Most of these accident victims have permanent disabilities and suffer from emotional trauma.

“They have lost the means to earn a living and are financial burdens to themselves and their family members.

“The objective of the VCD is to appeal to the emotions of road users on the consequences of flouting traffic laws and irresponsible behaviour on the road,” he added.

The VCDs will be launched together with Ops Bersepadu Keselamatan Jalan Raya in conjunction with the Hari Raya festive season on Sept 4.

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http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?fi ... sec=nation