Across major highways in Malaysia, emergency lanes are specially meant for ambulances, police, or firefighters to use in the face of emergencies. However, there are drivers who illegally drive along or stop their cars on the emergency lane.
A driver unintentionally caused the death of a motorcyclist who rammed into the back of his car after he stopped at the emergency lane to pick up a phone call.
Accident occurs after driver stops at emergency lane to answer phone call
According to NST, the accident took place at Kilometre (KM) 116.9, on the North-South Expressway at around 3pm yesterday (Mar 31).
In a statement by acting Batu Pahat police chief Superintendent Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani, he said a 35-motorcyclist named Mohammad Fared Zakaria was travelling from Ayer Hitam to Pagoh.
Upon arriving at the location, a car was found stopped in the emergency lane because the driver wanted to answer a phone call.
“The victim did not have time to avoid and crashed into the car. The impact also caused severe head injuries and both arms were broken,” he said as quoted by the English daily.
The victim was taken to the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital but didn’t survive the accident, where he was pronounced dead while receiving treatment at 7.50pm.
As for the car driver, he was unhurt and the case is now being probed under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless driving.
Under Malaysia’s traffic laws, those caught stopping their cars on the emergency lane can be fined up to RM2,000 or jailed not more than six months under Section 119 of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Shahrulanuar urged those with further information on the crash to contact any nearby police station, the Johor Contingent police hotline at 07-2212999, or through the Batu Pahat police hotline at 07-4343999.
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