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Road accidents cost Malaysia up to RM30 billion in socioeconomic losses every year, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said.

The number comes from the Value of Statistical Life approach which factors in lost productivity and income, treatment costs, and the wider impact on families and society.

“The loss of life, however, cannot be valued in ringgit,” he said.

Road accidents claimed 6,537 lives last year, an average of 18 deaths a day.

Alexander Nanta said 80.6 per cent of accidents were attributed to human factors.

“We do not want to merely repair roads after accidents occur,” he said. “We want to build and maintain safer roads that reduce risks and minimise human error.”

Govt Wants To Halve Motorcycle Deaths By 2030

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who chaired the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Congestion meeting where the figures were presented, shared more statistics.

“This means almost two out of three road fatalities involve motorcycle riders or pillion riders,” Ahmad Zahid said.

Motorcycle riders and pillion riders made up about 66 per cent of all road fatalities last year, despite motorcycles accounting for only 14 per cent of vehicles involved in accidents.

The Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Congestion has set a target to reduce road fatalities – particularly among motorcyclists – by 50 per cent by 2030.

Ahmad Zahid said ministries and agencies would tighten coordination so interventions don’t just get implemented, but actually translate into fewer deaths and serious injuries.

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Road Safety Framework Programme To Be Rolled Out

Part of the plan is the Road Safety Framework Programme, or SAFERO, to be rolled out in stages with the Transport Ministry, Petronas, the Land Public Transport Agency, the Road Transport Department, and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research.

SAFERO will draw on industry expertise in defensive driving, fatigue management, and driver behaviour monitoring – aimed at heavy vehicle drivers in particular.

Separately, PERKESO’s Op Cegah programme will be strengthened through data-sharing with police, JPJ, and employers to flag high-risk organisations and areas.

Ahmad Zahid pointed to one figure from PERKESO: workers commuting to and from work in 2024 died at a rate 2.4 times higher than those killed in industrial accidents.

“The government can provide policies, infrastructure, technology and enforcement,” Ahmad Zahid said. “But a culture of safety can only be developed when industries, employers and every road user play their respective roles.”

“The measure of our success is not how many campaigns or operations are carried out, but how many lives we are able to save.”

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