KUALA LUMPUR: Drunk drivers were the cause of over 500 deaths over the past five years.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) said alcohol consumption by drivers was one of the factors identified for road accidents.
“Between 2010 and April 2015, a total of 1,035 road accidents were recorded due to the influence of alcohol which resulted in 618 deaths,” he said in written reply to a question by Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz (PAS-Pasir Mas) in Dewan Rakyat today.
He added that a total of 207 accidents resulted in serious injuries with 287 cases resulting in light injuries.
He added that 15 cases resulted in only damagedvehicles.
He said that police would usually request for a blood sample to be taken from suspected drunk drivers to determine the alcohol levels in the body.
On a separate issue, Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadilla Yusof said some 156.2km stretches of roads nationwide have been developed as special motorcycle lanes.
He added that there are plans to further develop 143km stretches of roads nationwide as exclusive motorcycle lanes under the 11th Malaysia Plan.
He said the criteria to build the motorcycle lanes are based on the volume of traffic and number of motorcycle users at a particular stretch of road.
The ratio, he added, is 10,000 vehicles per day on a particular stretch of road where motorcyclists make up more than 30% of users.
Keyword: Drunk drivers caused more than 500 deaths since 2010, says minister