Motorists should prioritise road safety when giving way to VIP convoys, a road safety expert has said.
PETALING JAYA: Motorists should prioritise road safety when giving way to VIP convoys, a road safety expert has said. Universiti Putra Malaysia Road Safety Research Centre head Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua said sudden lane changes, abrupt braking or rushed manoeuvres could trigger serious crashes, including chain-reaction collisions.
“Drivers should remain in their lane, slow down when necessary and wait for a safe opportunity to change lanes if there is no clear gap.
“Motorists must always give priority to safety rather than making a lane change right away. If there is no safe gap, they must stay in their lane and wait for the appropriate time to move.”
He added that sudden actions taken under pressure, particularly on busy urban highways such as the MRR2, could increase the risk of crashes involving multiple vehicles.
“Making sudden manoeuvres such as changing lanes, abrupt braking or sudden turns may cause side-swipe collisions and chain-reaction crashes.”
Law said drivers who feel pressured by the presence of a VIP convoy may make dangerous decisions, including changing lanes without checking blind spots, which could put other road users, especially motorcyclists, at risk.
“Stressful circumstances could cause drivers to make mistakes, leading to rear-end collisions, side crashes or incidents involving vulnerable road users such as motorcyclists.”
While acknowledging the important role of escort officers in ensuring the safe movement of VIPs, he added that traffic management should be carried out in a way that allows motorists to move safely rather than forcing them into risky situations.
“The role of escort officers is significant but creating safe conditions for drivers to give way should be prioritised instead of compelling them to take dangerous actions.”
He said Malaysia’s VIP convoy practices serve a legitimate security purpose but there remains room to improve the balance between security requirements and the safety of other road users.
“Escort convoys should cause minimal disturbance to normal traffic flow while ensuring motorists receive clear instructions from the escort team.”
He added that VIP escorts should ideally be conducted based on assessed security risks, with larger convoys and road closures reserved for individuals facing higher security threats such as heads of state, government leaders and foreign dignitaries.
“In many countries, there is a proportionate system in which the level of security escort depends on the actual risk faced by the individual.”
Law said international practices generally focus on managing intersections, creating safe openings in traffic and coordinating with traffic authorities, rather than forcing motorists to make sudden movements.
“VIP security is important but it must be carried out in a way that minimises disruption and protects the safety of ordinary road users.”
Recently, a Malaysian mother’s account of an alleged encounter with a police VIP escort on the MRR2 was widely spread online, sparking debate over road safety and convoy practices.
In a post on Threads, she claimed the incident occurred at 4.40pm while she was travelling with her children, alleging that a police escort repeatedly pressured her to change lanes despite there being no safe gap as a lorry was travelling alongside her vehicle.
“What exactly did you expect me to do? Drive into the truck beside me? You kept forcing me to move over when there was literally no safe space.”
She claims that after changing lanes once it was safe to do so, the escort officer later pulled up beside her vehicle and pointed a finger at her.
The post has since gained more than 11,000 likes and over 800 comments, with several users claiming they had experienced similar encounters involving police escorts.
One user alleges that an escort officer had kicked their side mirror to make way for a VIP convoy, while another claims they were pressured onto the emergency lane despite already attempting to give way.
The allegations have not been independently verified and police have yet to issue a response.
