Kota Kinabalu: Road users are not solely at fault for every traffic incident, as external elements like road conditions are among the contributing factors.
According to Sabah Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) Investigation/Legal Staff Officer Rechi Anak John Chuhing, accident investigations generally considered three broad factors - the road user, vehicle and environment, including the condition of the road.
He noted that Sabah recorded 21,249 road accidents in 2025, of which 315 were fatal cases involving 348 deaths, while 2026 figures showed 14,566 accidents, including 220 fatal cases involving 232 deaths.
Speaking during the forum “Road Accidents: Failure of Safety Systems or Deficiencies in Infrastructure Quality” at the Best Conference 2026 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), he said the number of accidents was very high.
Rechi said the number of accidents had generally been increasing compared with previous years, which could partly be due to the growing number of vehicles and expansion of the road network.
He added that while driver behaviour remained an important factor, investigations also uncovered cases where the condition of the road contributed to an accident. “There are cases where we find road conditions are among the contributing factors,” he said.
He cited a case in Tawau where a trailer was said to have swerved to avoid a pothole before entering the opposite lane and colliding with another vehicle, resulting in fatalities.
Rechi also referred to another case in Tuaran involving a motorcycle travelling behind a trailer on a dark stretch of road, saying lighting was among the road conditions considered during the investigation.
“Similar concerns could be found along sections of the Pan Borneo Highway, including streetlights that had been installed but were not functioning or switched on, inadequate road markings and signage that could be confusing to motorists unfamiliar with the route. A motorist unfamiliar with a particular stretch could become uncertain over the correct lane or direction, resulting in sudden braking or other manoeuvres that increase the risk of rear-end or chain collisions,” he said.
Rechi said findings from investigations into fatal and serious accidents, including information concerning road-related factors, were shared with the Public Works Department (JKR) to assist the relevant authorities in identifying and assessing problem locations.
He said enforcement remained important, while awareness campaigns were also targeted at road-user groups identified through accident data as being at greater risk.
Young motorcyclists were among the groups of concern, said Rechi, adding fatal motorcycle cases had involved riders as young as 16 and 17, some of whom were found to be unlicensed.
He said families also had a responsibility to ensure motorcycles were not made available to children or other household members who did not possess a valid licence.
“If the motorcycle belongs to the family, we have to ask how a 16 or 17-year-old without a licence was able to use it,” he said.
Rechi also highlighted Friday and the period between 6am and noon in discussing patterns identified from accident data, saying such information could help enforcement agencies determine where awareness and enforcement efforts should be concentrated.
