Lee Lam Thye calls for regular competency assessments, specialised training and safety audits for government drivers following the Maju Junction tragedy.
PETALING JAYA: All government vehicle drivers should undergo regular competency reassessments, including those employed by ministries, departments and enforcement agencies, following the Maju Junction tragedy that claimed three lives, said Alliance For a Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
He said the government should conduct a comprehensive audit of the training and competency systems for government vehicle drivers, stressing that holding a valid driving licence should not be regarded as sufficient proof that a driver remained competent to operate government vehicles under all operational circumstances.
“A driving licence alone should not be regarded as proof that a person remains competent to operate a government vehicle under all operational circumstances.
“Competency must be developed, tested, monitored and assessed regularly,” he said in a statement today.
Lee proposed that competency enhancement programmes for government drivers include defensive driving and risk management, emergency and priority driving, human factors and decision-making, intersection safety, behavioural safety assessments and periodic competency assessments.
He said drivers operating vehicles equipped with sirens and beacon lights should receive specialised emergency-driving training, including safer techniques for approaching and proceeding through intersections.
Training should also address operational pressure, fatigue, concentration, perception and decision-making, while intersection safety programmes should cover traffic conflicts, traffic signals, blind spots, approach speeds and anticipating the behaviour of other road users, he said.
Lee said assessments should go beyond driving skills to examine drivers’ attitudes, discipline, risk awareness and sense of responsibility.
He said the Maju Junction tragedy should be treated as an opportunity to strengthen the safety culture across all government agencies.
Lee called for a safety audit of government vehicle operations and a review of standard operating procedures governing emergency driving and the use of sirens and beacon lights.
He also proposed regular defensive and emergency driving training, periodic driver competency assessments and the use of crash data to identify recurring risks.
Supervisors and fleet management personnel should also be held responsible for safety, while a “safety first” culture should be established across all government vehicle operations, he said.
“Safety is not solely the responsibility of the driver. It is an organisational responsibility.
“Senior management, supervisors, fleet managers, operational officers and drivers all have a role to play in ensuring that those who leave to perform government duties return safely, as do all other road users,” he said.
Lee expressed his condolences to the families of the three victims and stressed that police and the relevant authorities should determine the actual cause of the crash and any liability based on evidence and the outcome of investigations.
However, he said authorities should not wait for the investigation to conclude before making improvements to the system.
“Three lives have been lost. We must ensure that the lessons from this tragedy are translated into meaningful action.
“Let us not allow this tragedy to end with an investigation report, disciplinary action or simply another road death statistic.
“Let us turn this tragedy into a turning point for the safety culture governing government vehicle operations,” he said.
Lee said every government vehicle driver must understand that official duties could never override the right of other road users to return home safely.
