Wednesday May 28, 2008 MYT 12:20:00 PM

16% rise in deaths on KL roads

By STEVEN DANIEL

KUALA LUMPUR: The city saw 78 road users killed in 77 accidents in the first four months of this year, a 16.4% rise over that in the corresponding period last year. Motorcyclists accounted for 51 deaths, or 65% of the total.

City traffic police chief Asst Comm Abdul Wahab Abdul Rahman said most of the road deaths were the result of serious head injuries.

He attributed the higher fatalities to the negative, reckless attitude of motorcyclists, and their love of speed.

“Motorcyclists love to ride dangerously and to speed through red lights (at road junctions). They have no regard for the safety of other road users,” he said after launching a road safety campaign together with Pos Malaysia and the Kuala Lumpur traffic police on Tuesday.

Stricter enforcement was needed to solve the problem, he added.

Last year, 239 deaths were reported in the city, 6.6% lower than in 2006, in which 255 deaths were recorded.

Pos Malaysia state manager Aziz Sulong said half of the 152 accidents involving its staff were motorcyclist postmen. There were 10 fatalities in those accidents.