Road
accidents are the major cause of deaths in Malaysia. The causes of road
accidents are not only due to the negligence of individuals while driving or
failure to maintain the mechanical performance of the vehicles but also the
physical condition of the roadway. If the road is improperly maintained, it may
be difficult to maintain traction and to stop in time from an accident. Road
potholes, cracks, silt, uneven roads, manhole covers embedded or above street
level, are all factors that cause accidents to happen, especially to
motorcyclists. Road damage can also cause shock absorbers and tires to be
easily damaged.
Digging
up the road for the installation of utilities such as water pipes and underground
cables has caused up to 70% damage of roads. The low quality of road paving as
well as unprofessional maintenance can also cause damage to the roads occurs
repeatedly in the same area. Road damage that occurrs in Malaysia also stems
from the attitude of contractors who do not comply with the Standard
Operational Procedure (SOP) established by the Malaysian Works Department (JKR).
Most
contractors do not meet the conditions laid down JKR because they want to
reduce operating costs. According to the SOP issued by the JKR, the contractor
should be in charge of the temporary cover or compress the original excavation
pit immediately. Furthermore, the excavation should be covered with sand up to
the level of the road surface. However, some contractors just bury without
compressing the excavation. If during the period of mending there is damage to
the road and thus pose a danger to road users, the contractors are responsible
for any accidents on road users. Most road accidents are caused by roads damage
which is not restored by the authorities.
According
to SOP the work of open cutting across the street should be revamped again as
existing within 24 hours after dredging. Excavated material must be removed
from the work area immediately after excavation. Pile of excavated material at
the roadside can pose a danger to road users especially motorcyclists.
In
conclusion, if the authorities take all the precautions that have been fixed by
JKR then the quality of the roads should improveand the number of casualties
can be reduced. Most importantly, the contractors must change their “tidak
mengapa” attitude and be considerate on the safety of other road users. Furthermore,
to ensure that the contractor complies with all conditions specified in SOP
then the JKR should always monitor on the work carried out by the entrusted
contractors by doing site visits regularly. Malaysia is a developing country
and moving forward to achieve a developed country status. Hence the road
maintenance issue should be handledurgently and seriously by the contractors
and the government.