Experts urge harsh penalties for trucking firms after drug-linked crash injures four
A 10-tonne lorry collided with 11 vehicles in Shah Alam, injuring four people, and the driver tested positive for amphetamines. Road safety activists and a criminologist called for stronger legal action against the trucking companies responsible.
On Friday, a 10-tonne lorry plowed into 11 vehicles at a traffic-light junction in Alam Budiman, Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari, Shah Alam, causing injuries to four people. The 51-year-old driver was detained after a urine test confirmed the presence of amphetamine and methamphetamine. Road-safety activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said repeated warnings about dangerous driving, drug use and over-loading have been ignored, and that companies cannot shift blame solely onto drivers.
He advocated for limits on commercial drivers' working hours and a review of safety laws. Senior criminologist Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy noted that while the Road Transport Act already imposes severe penalties for drug-impaired driving, inconsistent enforcement undermines deterrence. He recommended tougher sanctions for repeat offenders, systematic fitness-to-drive checks, and coordinated oversight among enforcement agencies, as well as a Criminal Justice Advisory Committee to evaluate reforms.
Why it matters
The incident highlights gaps in enforcement of road-safety laws and the need for corporate accountability to protect public safety.
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