KUALA LUMPUR – Thirty-five people died in road accidents on the first day of Hari Raya yesterday, the highest number of fatalities so far this festive period.
Police’s traffic investigation and enforcement department said 1,289 road accidents were also reported yesterday.
The highest number of road accidents previously for this Hari Raya period were the 25 deaths last Friday and 23 deaths on Saturday, as people left major cities and made their way home for celebrations.
There were also 20 road deaths recorded on Sunday.
Police, who began Op Selamat 22 on April 3, recorded 2,044 road accidents on that day, and 2,160 on April 4.
As the “balik kampung” exodus from urban areas grew, 2,185 road accidents were recorded on Friday and 2,156 on Saturday.
Fourteen deaths and 1,683 cases were recorded on Monday, and 18 fatalities and 1,631 cases on Tuesday.
Op Selamat 22, which ends on Saturday, will see police issuing on-the-spot summons for speeding, overtaking on double lines, jumping queues, violating traffic lights signals, driving on emergency lanes and using telecommunications devices while driving.
In the last few days, several dashcam videos of accidents caused by vehicles overtaking others have made the rounds on social media.
Speeding and overtaking has also resulted in some drivers fatally hitting motorcyclists, as in the case of 19-year-old Amin Fakhrullah Mohd Faiez who was riding his motorcycle when he was hit by a Honda City that suddenly cut into the opposite lane in Bukit Rambai, Melaka two days ago. – April 11, 2024