Errant drivers deserve more than 14-day loss of licences

It heartening to note the proposal to impose a 14-day loss of licences for errant drivers.

However, 6-months or a year might be a bigger deterent.

Anyways, improvement to enforcement activities could be the most logical step to be taken at this juncture!
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The Star Online > Nation

Thursday September 22, 2005

14-day loss of licences for errant drivers

BY SIM LEOI LEOI

PUTRAJAYA: Reckless and speeding drivers, beware.

Come next year, in addition to having to pay fines, your licences can immediately be withheld for 14 days if you commit any of the following serious offences:

DANGEROUS or reckless driving resulting in death (Section 41 of the Road Transport Act);

RECKLESS and dangerous driving (Section 42 of the same Act);

CARELESS and inconsiderate driving (Section 43);

DRIVING under the influence of alcohol or drugs (Section 44);

DRIVING or controlling a motor vehicle while the alcohol level in the blood system exceeds the permitted level (Section 45A);

BEATING the traffic lights (Rule 17 of the Traffic Signs: Size, Colour and Types); and

DRIVING in excess of 40kph above the speed limit (Sections 40 and 69 of the Road Transport Act).

Announcing this, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the Cabinet had agreed yesterday to implement these measures as one way of reducing the number of road accidents.

It was also aimed at changing the attitude of Malaysian drivers, he said.

“In addition to these measures, we have also agreed that the minimum age limit for motorcyclists be increased from 16 to 17 years.

“Amendments to provide for the changes will be tabled in Parliament as soon as possible, possibly at the next meeting in March,” he told reporters after the weekly post-Cabinet meeting here yesterday.

Chan said any driver caught committing these offences would be given time to drive to their next immediate destination.

“When we apprehend these drivers, the police will withhold their licences and they will be given a notice slip allowing them to drive until the next destination, which will only be valid for 24 hours.

“On top of this measure, the drivers can still be fined for their offences,” he said, adding that authorities had yet to fine-tune the administrative procedures involved.

Drivers could also have their licences withheld if they were caught on speed cameras or during saman ekor operations for committing any of these offences, said Chan.

Related Stories:
Move to withhold driver’s licence viewed positively
Police extend discount period to Sept 30

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