The government is targeting a 50% reduction in road fatalities by 2030, with a particular focus on motorcycle users, as it steps up efforts to tackle Malaysia’s persistently high road death toll.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Congestion will strengthen policy coordination, resources and accountability across ministries and agencies to ensure road safety measures deliver measurable reductions in deaths and serious injuries.
The move comes after 6,537 people were killed in road accidents last year, equivalent to about 18 deaths every day.
Motorcyclists and pillion riders accounted for around 66% of all road fatalities, despite motorcycles representing only 14% of vehicles involved in accidents.
“This means nearly two out of every three road deaths involve a motorcyclist or pillion rider,” Ahmad Zahid said.
He highlighted that the figures showed that the government could no longer rely on conventional approaches, with interventions needing to be more targeted at high-risk groups while also addressing infrastructure safety, health, education, enforcement and urban planning.
The socioeconomic cost of road fatalities last year was estimated at about RM30 billion, based on the Value of Statistical Life approach.
“This proves that investment in road safety is not merely expenditure, but an investment in saving lives, protecting families and reducing losses to the national economy,” he said.
The committee also agreed to roll out the SAFERO Road Safety Framework Programme in phases through collaboration involving the Transport Ministry, Petroliam Nasional Bhd, the Land Public Transport Agency, Road Transport Department (JPJ) and Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research.
SAFERO will tap industry expertise in defensive driving, fatigue management and driver behaviour monitoring to improve the competency and professionalism of heavy vehicle drivers.
Meanwhile, Ops Cegah, led by the Social Security Organisation (Socso), will be strengthened through cooperation with the police, JPJ and employers, using data to identify high-risk organisations and locations.
Ahmad Zahid said Socso data showed that the fatality rate from employee commuting accidents in 2025 was 2.4 times higher than industrial accidents.
He stressed that road safety required a whole-of-society approach involving not only government agencies but also employers, industries and road users.
“The measure of our success is not how many campaigns or operations we conduct, but how many lives we are able to save,” he said.
