Motorcyclists account for 70% of each 100 street deaths in Malaysia as of Aug 2021 – WHO urges motion

The World Well being Group (WHO) has launched a an up to date handbook to assist policymakers to scale back the variety of street site visitors deaths and accidents involving bikes and different powered two- and three-wheelers – these are collectively known as PTWs. “Within the 10 years for the reason that first version of the handbook, the worldwide panorama has modified considerably. The speedy improve in using powered two and three wheelers poses new challenges,” the organisation mentioned.

Titled ‘Powered two-and three-wheeler security: a street security handbook for decision-makers and practitioners‘, it consists of pointers on creating safer roads, making certain safer mobility for all street customers, automobile security requirements and actions to enhance emergency responses to crashes.

The handbook additionally comprises regarding statistics. Between 2013 and 2016, the proportion of PTW (powered two- and three-wheelers) deaths elevated from 23% to twenty-eight%, as noticed in all areas (Africa, Americas, Southeast Asia, Europe, Japanese Mediterranean and Western Pacific).

“Almost 30% of all crash fatalities reported to WHO in 2016 contain powered two- and three-wheelers, corresponding to bikes, mopeds, scooters and electrical bikes (e-bikes). Crashes involving PTWs are sometimes predictable and preventable and may by no means be accepted as inevitable,” WHO wrote in its handbook.

Southeast Asia registered the very best improve from 34% to 43%, with the organisation declaring that in Cambodia and Thailand, the place there’s a massive PTW fleet, motorbike fatalities in 2016 accounted for 73% and 74% of whole street fatalities respectively.

In keeping with FMT, as of August final 12 months, for each 100 street deaths in Malaysia, 70 concerned motorcyclists. This locations our nation nearer to changing Thailand for having the world’s worst loss of life fee for motorbike customers, and between 2001 and 2021, a complete of 89,953 motorcyclists have died on Malaysia’s roads.

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By comparability, high-income international locations in the identical area, corresponding to Australia and South Korea, noticed motorbike fatalities make up 20% and 19% of all traffic-related deaths respectively. Younger adults aged between 15 and 34 years account for over 60% of all PTW-related deaths in low- and middle-income international locations.

In its handbook, the WHO additionally listed out a number of key threat components associated to the surroundings that contribute to PTW-related crashes, damage and loss of life. These embody a scarcity of inclusive city planning, minimal or no segregation of PTWs in site visitors, the design of street infrastructure, street floor circumstances, roadside hazards and restricted public transport infrastructure (restricts commuter alternative).

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In the meantime, threat components to the street consumer embody failure to put on helmets, extreme rushing, alcohol impairment, a rider’s age and lack of expertise, failure to note approaching PTWs. A scarcity of crash safety for PTW riders and passengers additionally places them in danger, together with the steadiness of PTWs and potential braking errors additionally contribute to street deaths involving PTWs.

The WHO handbook was launched on the World Regional Street Security Observatories Dialogue on Motorbike Security, held on the Asian Growth Financial institution in Manila, the Philippines. FMT’s report notes {that a} delegation from the Malaysian Institute of Street Security Analysis (MIROS) is on the occasion and sharing the analysis and findings on motorbike crashes from Malaysia’s perspective, in addition to demonstrating the effectiveness of ABS techniques for bikes.