PUTRAJAYA: The government is mulling reducing the speed limit in school zones from 40km per hour (km/h) to 30km/h, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
The cabinet committee on road safety and traffic congestion, he said, made the proposal in line with the World Health Organisation's call to curb dangerous speeding, especially in vulnerable spots.
"The federal government will work with local authorities and schools to implement effective speed management systems, such as traverse bars and speed bumps in school zones to slow down the traffic.
"If this initiative successfully reduces road crashes in school zones, we may consider expanding the 30km/h limit to other suitable areas within cities to create a safer environment for vulnerable road users," he said in his speech at the Conference on Asia Road Safety (CARS) 2024 here today.
Zahid, who chairs the cabinet committee, said it was also vital to increase the use of public transport in the country to reduce the risk of accidents involving road users.
"We started by expanding special bus lanes and purchasing 100 units of Demand Response Transit in the Klang Valley.
"Since the introduction of these special bus lanes last year, the number of daily bus passengers has increased by 20 to 45 per cent," he said.
He said the government is planning to increase the number of bus stations and carry out upgrading works.
In addition, he said, the Malaysia National Transport Policy 2019-2030 also aims to significantly increase the rail freight modal share by 2030, focusing on key corridors connecting major industrial hubs and ports.
This initiative will help reduce the number of heavy vehicles on the road, while reducing the carbon footprint of the logistics sector, improve traffic flow on highways, and lower road maintenance costs, he said.
At a press conference later, Zahid said the speed limit had yet to be gazetted and was pending coordination between several ministries, namely, transport, education and works.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Anthony Loke in his welcoming speech said the government had since March released daily statistics on fatal road crashes as reported by the police.
The initiative, undertaken as a first step in raising awareness on the increasing number of road deaths, mirrors the Health Ministry's approach during the Covid-19 pandemic in reporting daily infections, he said.
He said road fatalities in the country increased to 6,443 last year from 6,080 in 2022.
He added the Road Safety Plan 2022-2030 was aimed at reducing the number of road fatalities by 50 per cent by 2030, and outlines 10 priority areas that address various road safety issues.
"As we near the end of the first action plan, it is time to review our progress, refine our strategies and prepare for the next three-year plan (2025-2027) to reduce road fatalities further," he said.