Road Safety: Link traffic offences to car insurance premiums

 

Note: This article was emailed to the Press (SPH) but was never published.

Our Traffic Police are now using new cameras at some locations to capture traffic offences. I applaud them for stepping up enforcement actions using the new cameras against errant drivers to make our roads safer. They should be rolled out at more locations as a deterrent.

These days, there are so many errant drivers on the road. Accidents are waiting to happen. Many drivers and motorists seem to be desperate for time and they often beat red traffic light at many traffic junctions. Many failed to stop at traffic lights or give way to pedestrians crossing the road.

I would like to suggest that traffic offences and demerit point system information and data should be made available and accessible to car insurance companies. Currently, car insurance premiums are increased and NCD are reduced only when traffic accidents are reported with filed claims. No claim does not mean the insured driver is a safe driver who collects multiple traffic offences and fines. I hope the TP could review this idea to nudge motorists towards safe driving behaviour on our roads. As the saying goes: ”What gets measured gets managed.”

In simpler words, it means no pain, no gain. 

Public transport: Big electrical devices in trains are hazards to commuters’ safety

Big electricals devices like PMAs, PABs and PMDs are both a physical hazard (due to their big sizes) and electrical hazard (as they use batteries) in confined spaces in public transport like buses and trains that are often crowded these days. While it is easy to push a wheelchair (manual or motorised), how does one move an oversized, 300kg PMA (with huge baskets on front and back) that has stalled near train exit door? When a PMA or PMD catches fire or explodes, how can commuters escape inside a packed, crowded train during peak-hours, or inside a full load passenger lift or inside a single-car LRT train? Worst case scenario is when such a hypothetical event happens during a rail disruption and the train is stalled in the middle of the track inside the tunnel!

Although these electrical devices have to comply with allowable size and weight and be certified to safety standards like EN15194 or UL2272, there are no enforcement checks at bus interchanges and train stations except for the random checks at selected high traffic out-door cycling paths.  

With an ageing population, even more people are expected to use PMAs in public transport. The Authority and transport operators should come together to evaluate this real concern and conduct risk assessments from a commuter’s perspective. If durians could be banned (for non-safety reason), there is no reason why enforcement and control measures on PMAs and PMDs cannot be implemented for the safety of commuters in public transport. For safety and space considerations, rightfully only wheelchairs (all types) should be allowed inside public transport. However, as the flood-gates have been opened for so long to allow any PMAs and PMDs into public transport, it takes strong will-power to regulate and restrict the use of these devices.

Note: This article was originally mailed to SPH in SEP2024 but was never published.