Malaysia Ranks 3rd In Countries You’re Most Likely To Die On The Road

In a list of countries with safest roads, Malaysia is all the way down at number 23.

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter or Telegram channel for the latest stories and updates.

Driving is a daily activity for Malaysians. On average, every Malaysian household has at least two vehicles.

A recent study conducted by car subscription service FINN ranked Malaysia third for countries where one is mostly like to die on the road with 22.48 deaths per 100,000 people.

If Malaysia is number three, which countries have it worse than us?

Thailand came in at number two with 32.21 deaths per 100,000 people and Saudi Arabia takes the top spot with 35.94 deaths.

In their list of countries with the safest roads, we ranked 23 at a score of 4.07/10, ahead of Mexico, Greece, the United States and Argentina.

According to motorcycle accessories company GIVI, there is a road fatality in Malaysia every 90 minutes.

Citing past statistics, GIVI pointed out that there were 6,067 deaths due to traffic accidents in Malaysia last year. There were 545,630 road accidents reported last year, working out to roughly one accident per minute.

These figures are very worrying because driving and riding motorcycles are among the most popular travelling method in Malaysia.

Although the government is trying their best to prevent road accidents, the figures will not reduce if motorists refuse to change their behaviour on the road.

Major causes of accidents

According to an article by Kurnia, among the main causes of road accidents are speeding, using mobile phone while driving and aggressive driving.

1.Speeding

Speeding-related road accidents are actually avoidable.

Although many drivers are aware of the risks, they frequently drive too fast. When the traffic is good, it can be challenging to resist the urge to speed.

It’s possible for drivers to be unaware of stated speed restrictions or to think they can go beyond them safely. Speeding makes a person less equipped to respond to unforeseen circumstances, increasing the chances of getting into an accident. For instance, 90% of pedestrians survive when a car hits them at 40 km/h, but only 10% do so at 100 km/h due to the greater force of the collision.

2.Using mobile phone while driving

Driving while using a mobile device is risky. The chances of getting into an accident go up by four times.

In addition, research found that using a mobile phone while driving results in an 18.1% worse reaction time than not using one. Even hands-free gadgets pose a risk since they may still divert attention.

When talking on the phone, you are removing your hands from the wheel and your eyes from the road. This implies that in the event of an unforeseen event, you have less control over the vehicle.

3.Aggressive Driving

When a person drives carelessly, they take unwarranted chances on the road. Inadequate lane changes, speeding, tailgating, failing to use the turn signals, weaving in and out of traffic, running red lights, and even driving against the flow of traffic are examples of this.

Unfortunately, these risky behaviours are far too prevalent and frequently result in accidents. 807 accidents in 2021 were caused by drivers who were travelling against the flow of traffic. There were 712 damage cases and 29 deaths because of these collisions, as reported by The Star.

There was also a case recently where a biker died because another biker was going against traffic.

4.Beating the red light

This is a very common behaviour among Malaysian motorists. It’s so common that everytime you’re out driving, you will see at least one motorist running the red light.

This can cause major accidents. Running the red light may seem like a small offence but what is not though of is the risk one put themselves in and others on the road.

Because all it takes is just one second for an accident to happen which may lead to a fatality.

These reasons are known to many people yet there is a vast majority who choose to “live on the edge”. It is important to remember that we are not made of titanium and death can happen to us at anytime.

Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.