Cap Calls On Govt To Ban Late-Night Bus Travel After Gerik Tragedy

GEORGE TOWN, June 12 (Bernama) -- The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) has called on the government to ban late-night bus travel following the recent tragic accident on the East-West Highway (JRTB) that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students.

Its president, Mohideen Abdul Kader said one significant factor to consider is that this tragic accident occurred in the early hours of the morning, around 1 am, and there are many reasons indicating that late- night bus travel is dangerous.

He said this includes the increased risk of accidents due to driver fatigue and drivers being more susceptible to microsleep. 

"Falling asleep at the wheel could lead to catastrophic consequences, as such to combat this fatigue, some drivers may resort to using unregulated stimulants to stay alert which could affect their judgement while driving.

"Additionally, some drivers may have the mentality of wanting to complete their last trip of the day quickly which leads to a disregard for safety regulations including speeding, dangerously overtaking, and neglecting road safety laws and regulations," he said in a statement today.

Mohideen noted that many express bus companies will have night bus trips scheduled and some even have late-night trips that start around midnight to 1 am.

In the early Monday morning incident, 15 UPSI students lost their lives when the bus they were travelling in overturned at KM53 of JRTB, near Tasik Banding, Gerik.

Besides that, the consumer watchdog is also urging the government to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the rising number of accidents involving heavy vehicles, to commit to enforcing stricter safety measures, and to routinely assess the mental well-being of express bus drivers to ensure safe travel for all.

Mohideen pointed out that in the first quarter of 2024, there were 652 accidents involving heavy vehicles such as container lorries, lorries and express buses.

"Of these incidents, 287 resulted in fatalities. In just 10 months of 2024 alone, there had been 825 fatal accidents involving lorries," he said, citing recent statistics.

He applauded the Transport Ministry’s various measures to ensure stricter enforcement, which CAP believes would be effective and should be implemented, such as the introduction of mandatory dashboard cameras and other onboard video cameras for buses, implementing safeguards for speed limiters, and equipping express buses with seatbelt sensors.

-- BERNAMA