Kuala lumpur: A total of 69.4 percent of all road accidents in the country last year involved people aged between 16 and 40. Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah disclosed these statistics during an oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat. He detailed that there were 6,157 cases involving individuals aged 16 to 20, followed closely by 5,978 cases for those aged 21 to 25, 4,716 cases for the 26 to 30 age group, and 3,640 cases involving individuals aged 31 to 35.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Hasbi addressed additional questions regarding fatal road accidents and the involvement of older individuals. He highlighted that the data for 2024 shows a similar trend, with those aged 70 and above accounting for only a small proportion of cases. These older individuals might not have been the drivers but were possibly passengers or otherwise involved, which explains their presence in the accident statistics.
Hasbi identified heavy vehicles, drunk driving, and reckless driving as primary contributors to the high number of road accidents in the country. He was responding to a supplementary question from Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan (PN-Merbok) about the age group with the highest number of fatal road accidents.
In response to an original query about the potential for mandatory health screenings as an additional requirement for renewing driving licenses for those aged 70 and above, Hasbi noted that the Ministry of Transport is reviewing international best practices regarding the licensing of elderly drivers. He cited a study by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), which revealed no conclusive evidence that mandatory age-based health screenings would significantly decrease road accident rates.
Hasbi further mentioned that age-based restrictions could adversely affect the mobility and well-being of older individuals, impacting their access to healthcare, daily activities, and community participation. He emphasized that advancing age does not necessarily impair driving abilities, as health and capabilities vary among individuals, with many older people remaining capable of driving safely and responsibly.
He concluded by stating that a medical examination using the JPJL8/JPJL8A form remains mandatory for all new applications and renewals of vocational driving licenses, including goods vehicle and public service vehicle licenses, irrespective of the applicant's age.