Yee Tsai Yiew
KOTA KINABALU: The relevant authorities have been urged to strengthen enforcement and apply a zero-tolerance policy on heavy goods vehicles in the wake of two separate accidents involving trailer trucks carrying heavy cargo here within a short span of fewer than two weeks.
This came from Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Api-Api Division Information Chief Yee Tsai Yiew who also urged the drivers of heavy goods vehicles to be cautious when carrying heavy loads, saying the general public was concerned over the issue of road safety following the two recent accidents.
“The accidents, although no casualties were involved, not only cause traffic congestion and inconvenience to people but also damage infrastructure.
“Therefore, to prevent such crashes from occurring in the future, I urge all heavy goods vehicle companies and drivers to have the knowledge of the height and weight restrictions of the current law. The companies concerned should also conduct a periodical review of their respective driver’s competency in transporting heavy cargo,” said Yiew, who is a former candidate for the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary constituency in the previous general election, in a statement today.
She also called on the relevant authorities such as the police, Road Transport Department (RTD) and Sabah Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) to enhance supervision to ensure that heavy goods vehicle companies and trailer truck drivers comply with regulations to minimise the risk of accidents as much as possible.
“Most importantly, the agencies concerned should apply a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to road safety and any company involved in reckless and irresponsible business practice when transporting heavy goods should be heavily penalised,” stressed Yiew.
“We were lucky that the two major road accidents involving trailer trucks did not cause any death or injuries to road users, however, luck doesn’t always come twice. As such, preventing accidents beforehand and minimising risks can provide peace of mind to the public, especially motorists,” she said.
On June 4, a trailer truck carrying a large construction material hit a pedestrian bridge in front of the Kota Kinabalu Post Office building in Segama, while on Thursday, another trailer truck was involved in an accident when a shipping container it was carrying fell off the trailer while negotiating a bend at the junction of Jalan Kolombong-Jalan Lintas. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in both incidents, but the traffic was temporarily affected.
