Bandar Seri Begawan - Road fatalities and accidents have significantly dropped this year compared to a five-year high in 2011, which shows that the government's campaigns are slowly but steadily taking effect. With the Demerit Points System set to come into force in 2013, authorities will be hoping for further reduction in accident rates.

Twenty-eight road accident deaths have been recorded since the beginning of this year until Dec 18 compared to 47 last year which was the highest over a five-year (2008-2012) period.

The months of February, January and November recorded the highest number of deaths with five, four and four respectively, latest police traffic statistics revealed.

Some 3,258 road accidents have been recorded to date, 340 short of the total overall figure last year.

Cases of people sustaining minor injuries totalled 338 while 75 serious injuries have been reported so far compared to 630 minor injury cases and 69 serious injuries respectively last year.

Young drivers (aged between 18-28 years old) were the most to suffer from minor injuries, with 163 cases. With regards to the category of serious injuries, the similar age group suffered the most with 15 cases.

In terms of age category for the number of deaths, seven who have passed away were those aged between 29-38 years old compared to six in the category of 18-28 years old. Last year, it was the opposite, with 18-28 years age category accounting for 20 deaths, followed by 2938 years old with 10 deaths.

So far this year, 14 drivers have died compared to passengers (11), pedestrians (2), and motorcyclists (1). Last year, 1,523 self-accidents led to 17 fatalities, followed by 12 deaths from 1,640 car collisions.

Four pedestrians were killed after being hit by drivers to date while three motorcyclists died in self-accidents. Another two motorcyclists died in collisions with cars, followed by a cyclist (1) who was killed after being hit by a vehicle and a self-accident involving a cyclist (1).

Continuous operations by the enforcement officers notably the Traffic Control and Investigation Department (JSKLL) of the Royal Brunei Police Force and the Land Transport Department involving speed traps, road blocks, mobile deployment of enforcement personnel, improvement in road system are among the factors that have helped to reduce accidents.

The Ministry of Communications through the Land Transport Department (LTD) has also introduced several steps to ensure drivers are more disciplined and careful through defensive driving methods assimilated at driving schools and also through the introduction of the Demerit Points System (DPS) which is on trial before its full deployment in July next year.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin