By Marlynda Meraw and Karen Bong
BINTULU, Aug 18: Federal Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi defends the purpose of P-turns along the Pan Borneo Highway (LPB), stressing that they are designed for the road users’ safety.
He said this in response to the disapproval and criticism that was raised even in Parliament about the design of P-turns, whereby the road feature itself is cause to many accidents that results to even death.
“I was told that the P-turns are useless. But the truth is, if this P-turn is used properly, it will not cause any accidents, far be it from deaths.
“What often happens that led to accidents is misuse. A P-turn meant for one direction is used by vehicles from another direction. Accidents occur when drivers try to take shortcuts instead of using the correct P-turn,” said Nanta during his speech at the “Jum Jaga Pan Borneo Bait-Bait” cleanliness campaign at a P-turn along the Bintulu-Miri road today.
He noted that some impatient drivers continued to make U-turns instead of following the designated P-turns.
“The P-turn is designed in such a way as to give drivers more time and space to make a safe turn. It allows them to slow down, check their surroundings, and re-enter the highway more safely,” he explained.
In the same speech, Nanta also reminded the public not to be quick to blame the road conditions for the cause of accidents.
“Yes, sometimes bad road conditions such as holes, cracks, uneven road surfaces and poor lighting can be a factor.
“But studies show that only about 13 per cent of accidents (in Malaysia) are attributed to road conditions. Meanwhile, 80 per cent are caused by reckless driving,” he said, citing the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) yearly statistic.
From the same statistics, he highlighted that Malaysia records about 500,000 accidents annually, with 12,000 major accidents and 6,000 fatalities, of which around 4,000 involve motorcyclists.
Nanta gave the example of the Formula One track, where not a single stone is allowed on the surface, yet accidents still happen due to speed, stressing that even with perfect roads, reckless driving remains the main cause of crashes.
“Obey the road signage. They are there for a reason. If it says slow down, then slow down. If it says no overtaking, then don’t overtake,” Nanta added.
He urged all road users to take responsibility and exercise discipline, noting that even with the best infrastructure, safety ultimately depends on drivers’ behaviour. —DayakDaily
