MIROS: Lorry Safety Compliance At Just 4%, Child Seat Use Only 30%

The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) has urged stricter heavy vehicle maintenance and child passenger protection after Saturday’s crash at the Bukit Kajang toll plaza, which killed a 16-month old boy and injured seven others.

MIROS said its investigation team is examining the lorry’s brake system to determine if mechanical failure was a factor. The probe is being carried out with police, JPJ and APAD, after the 42-year-old driver told investigators the brakes had failed. The vehicle was last serviced in April.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke noted that the toddler, Amir Husayn, was not secured in a child seat at the time of the crash. While stressing his remarks were not meant to blame grieving parents, he said the tragedy highlighted how the absence of a restraint system can prove fatal in serious collisions.

MIROS echoed the concern, pointing to police data that show an average of 434 children killed in road crashes every year between 2014 and 2023, about eight deaths a week.

Although child seats have been mandatory since Jan 2020, usage was only around 30% in 2022. Properly installed restraints can reduce the risk of death for children aged 0 to 4 by 54–71%.

On heavy vehicles, MIROS warned that poor maintenance remains a critical danger. Between 2011 and 2015, more than 1,000 fatal crashes a year involved heavy vehicles, with over 80% of victims being other road users. 

Most occurred on highways, particularly on straight stretches (65.5%), and motorcycles made up 61% of fatalities. Rear-end and side collisions were the most common, with smaller vehicles facing the highest risks.

Compliance with the Industry Code of Practice for Transport Safety (ICOP) is also worryingly low. A 2022 MIROS study found only 31.9% of operators adhered to the code. Larger operators showed 93.6% compliance, express buses 78% and tour buses 71%, but lorries lagged at just 4%. 

MIROS said this points to the need for tighter speed controls, GPS monitoring, better road design and stronger training and safety audits. “Accidents can happen anytime, but many lives can be saved if vehicles are well-maintained, road laws obeyed and child safety given full attention,” MIROS said.