TRAFFIC along the North-South Expressway (NSE) network is expected to reach about 2.3 million vehicles daily during the peak balik kampung period for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Mahadzir Masod, northern region manager of PLUS Malaysia Berhad said several measures have been implemented to manage the anticipated surge in traffic.
“These include activating smart lanes at 34 strategic locations to ease congestion and deploying more than 6,000 personnel to respond to incidents along the highway,” he said during a road safety awareness campaign near the Juru toll plaza (northbound).
Mahadzir said about 60 motorcycle rest areas have been prepared under flyovers or at suitable locations in the northern region.
He added that 81 emergency stopping bays are also available for vehicles experiencing breakdowns.
He urged motorists to avoid stopping in the emergency lane in the event of accidents or vehicle breakdowns.
“Statistics show that about 10% of traffic accidents involve rear-end collisions in the emergency lane, and such crashes often result in serious casualties,” he said.
Mahadzir added that the company will continue working closely with strategic partners including the Malaysian Highway Authority, the police and the Road Transport Department (RTD) to ensure effective traffic management and enforcement.
He also advised those travelling back to their hometowns to plan their journeys early and refer to the MyPLUS-TTA digital travel schedule online to reduce congestion during the festive season.
Meanwhile, Penang Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari reminded road users that the most anticipated return home is not the fastest journey, but the one that ends safely.
He said police data recorded 9,859 traffic accidents nationwide last year, including 77 fatal crashes that claimed 83 lives.
“Although the number of deaths dropped slightly compared with the previous year, every figure represents a family that has lost a loved one,” he said.
Zairil said the road safety campaign was meaningful as it helped raise safety awareness among motorcyclists.
He added that riders were also given the opportunity to check their motorcycles and receive safety gear such as helmets that meet safety standards, reflective vests and safety gloves.
Kunitomo Asano, managing director of Boon Siew Honda, said the most important thing during the festive season is to reunite safely with family members.
He said the company provided safety gear to 100 riders and organised free motorcycle inspection services to help ensure safer journeys.
“This initiative is also part of Honda’s global commitment to road safety as we work towards achieving zero traffic fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and cars by 2050,” he said.
Story by Edmund Lee