KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 — The Transport Ministry (MOT) is mulling the possibility of making defensive driving courses mandatory, especially for drivers with traffic offence records or suspended licences.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said this is part of the ministry’s efforts to improve the existing curriculum, with a stronger focus on practical driving skills and crash avoidance techniques, rather than merely passing licence tests.
“This is a new approach we want to introduce, either by mandating or encouraging drivers with suspended licences and similar cases to return for defensive driving courses or undergo training on safer and more responsible driving to prevent crashes.”
Loke said this in reply to Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman’s (PN-Kuala Krai) question on the proposal to review the motorcycle licence training curriculum at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.
Meanwhile, the Dewan Rakyat was also told that the MOT and the Education Ministry (MOE) have agreed to implement more targeted interventions, particularly among school students who ride motorcycles to school, following the High-Level Committee Meeting on Road Safety and Congestion on January 20.
Loke said the MyLesen B2 programme, which previously offered free training to the B40 group, will now be targeted at secondary schools to ensure student motorcyclists receive formal and structured training, thereby reducing crash risks linked to inexperience.
“In addition, MOT will restructure its free helmet exchange programme to focus on school students who ride motorcycles,” he noted.
Loke said that MOT has also implemented the Safe School Zone or MySafe School initiative, which supports a 30kph speed limit around school areas through improved safety infrastructure such as speed limit signs, road markings and traffic-calming road designs.
He said motorcyclists accounted for 66.4 per cent of total road fatalities last year, with those aged between 16 and 30 forming the largest group of victims.
Citing the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), Loke said key factors contributing to road crashes, particularly those involving motorcycles, include risky behaviour, mixed traffic interactions between heavy vehicles and motorcycles, insufficient riding skills and low safety awareness.
