Non-compliant road barriers pose life-threatening risk, expert says

Road guardrails need to be specially designed to withstand impacts from vehicles of various sizes (Inset: Tengku Ahmad Marwan). Photo by Halim Wahid/SINAR

SHAH ALAM – The government needs to reassess the design and installation methods of road guardrails as they can pose a threat to road users’ lives if not constructed according to proper specifications.

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) associate fellow Tengku Ahmad Marwan Tengku Mahmud said that road guardrails should be specially designed to withstand the impact of vehicles of various sizes, including heavy-duty vehicles.

However, he said that most road guardrail designs were inherently dangerous and unsafe, especially for motorcyclists who frequently use emergency lanes.

“The impact from high speeds is also one of the causes of more serious injuries if the human body comes into contact with these road guardrails.

“Sometimes it can result in injuries and deaths when road guardrails penetrate the body or vehicle due to the impact of collisions.

“That’s why we need to consider the suitability of road guardrail materials; it’s not just a hazard for road users,” he told Sinar.

However, Tengku Ahmad Marwan admitted that it was difficult to find road guardrail materials suitable for all types of vehicles as it depends on their respective weight limits or loads.

He said that all these suggestions required significant time and expenditure for the government to take action.

These matters, he added, were often discussed with various parties, but so far, no decisions had been made.

“Nevertheless, all road users need to be more cautious because according to statistics, 80 per cent of accidents are caused by human error.

“Only 20 per cent are driven by vehicle factors, road conditions, or environmental issues,” he said.