One Death Every 36 Hours In Malaysia From Lorry Crashes - MIROS

There isn't a day that passes without a heavy truck accident. This is the conclusion of a recent study conducted by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), that reveals a concerning trend; heavy truck accidents occur daily in Malaysia.

Over the past six years, these accidents, involving lorries and trailers, have tragically claimed the lives of at least 1,457 people, with highways identified as the most dangerous roads, HM has reported.


On average, a fatal accident involving a heavy vehicle happens every 36 hours, resulting in at least one death, the study found.

Big trucks speeding and overloaded? That's a recipe for disaster, especially around bends. 

Road safety advocate Datuk Mohamad Hisham Shafe reported a concerning trend of 3,500 truck accidents in six years, causing 1,457 deaths (an average of one every 36 hours), 473 major injuries, and 1,076 minor injuries nationwide. He emphasized the higher fatality rate of heavy truck accidents due to their size and impact.


“Lorries are heavy vehicles that cause significant impact during collisions, especially when travelling at high speeds on highways,” he says in a HM report.

Hisham also noted that driver fatigue from long hours, vehicle instability due to excessive and unbalanced loads, and inadequate lorry maintenance significantly compromise long-journey performance.

“Mechanical failure in lorries is one of the main causes of road accidents, and it’s not a new issue — in fact, it has often been raised by the authorities.

Commercial vehicle safety faces a serious lack of attention, according to the road safety advocate who pointed to operator negligence in vehicle maintenance and the use of retreaded tires.

This concern is supported by a 2022 MIROS study, which found that only 32% of public transport and commercial vehicle operators adhered to the ICOP for Transport Safety.