Bandar Seri Begawan - Speeding still represents the largest section of the "pie" of all road traffic offences between May and September 2012. It constituted 51 per cent of all traffic violations.

Since the announcement of the Demerit Points System, one speeding offender even received a suspension for driving dangerously at 168km/hr, well above the 100km/hr limit.

At that speed, it was hard for the woman driver to be forgiven as it endangers her and others' lives.

This was explained by officials during a Demerit Points System Roadshow yesterday at Sultan Saiful Rijal Technical College (MTSSR) attended by academic staff and students.

Traffic light offences constituted seven per cent (79 offences) of the all road traffic violations between May and September 2012, according to the presentation.

A total of 14 per cent of all offences constituted falling load (171), eight per cent involved bald tyres (96), 10 per cent unspecified other offences (116), 51 per cent involved violating speed by 30km/hr (602 offenders) and 10 percent violating speed limit by 30-40 km/h (119).

According to the statistics, the number of accidents and deaths grew steadily: 2,775 in 2008, 3,110 in 2009, 3,414 in 2010, 3,598 in 2011) and 2,218 in 2012).

The highest number of fatalities was recorded last year with 47 casualties. The first quarter of this year saw 14 fatalities in road accidents.

In 2008, 29 persons lost their lives in road accidents. The figure for 2009 jumped to 38. The fatalities in accidents dipped in 2010 with 26 cases.

Present during the roadshow was Hj Khalid bin Hj Mustafa, Director of Land Transport Department.

The roadshow aimed to disseminate information on the Dement Points System's functions, the phases that will be undertaken, and incentives that will be made available.

The system aims to make sure that drivers are more disciplined, cautious and always comply with every traffic law and regulation.

It also serves to identify high-risk drivers and those who always break traffic laws as well as to reduce the accident rate in Brunei.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin