‘Be well rested for long balik kampung drive’

PETALING JAYA: With the traditional balik kampung trek beginning soon for Muslims celebrating Hari Raya, motorists have been reminded that “safety comes first” and to take a short walk after four hours of driving.

Universiti Putra Malaysia Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Community Health Prof Dr Kulanthayan K. C. Mani said such breaks would help motorists to stay alert.

He said his advice applied to long-distance bus drivers as well, who should sleep at least six to eight hours daily.

“This has to be a routine for a few days before a long-distance drive. A motorist or long-distance bus driver should not accumulate a lack of sleep and think one day of good rest is enough because it is not and will cause sleep deficiency.

“It is important for drivers to know the symptoms as it (sleep deficiency) may cause them to lose concentration or fall asleep while driving. For instance, knowing where the exit is but being unable to remember it is a symptom of sleep deficiency.”

Kulanthayan said other symptoms are knowing the exit but then missing it and not being able to keep the vehicle steady and slipping into other lanes.

He said bus passengers also have a role to play.

If they find the bus slipping into the other lane momentarily they should immediately speak up and tell the driver to stop at the nearest rest area, where he will able to refresh himself.

Kulanthayan said if a driver feels drowsy after taking a short walk, he should take a power nap of not less than 30 minutes to refresh himself.

He also said drivers may eat or drink something to give themselves a boost if they are tired.

However, this would only last a short time and they would need to stop at a rest area.

“Most long-distance bus drivers have gotten their bodies suited for odd hours of driving. But they will still need to be extra cautious when driving at night.

“A co-driver will also be helpful for long-distance journeys as he will be able to take over from the other driver who is feeling tired or fatigued.”

Kulanthayan urged passengers to use seat belts that are available on buses as a safety precaution even though they are not mandatory.

On the issue of road crashes, he said last year there were 545,630 crashes or 1,495 per day, while there were 6,076 road fatalities or almost 17 per day.

“The number of accidents involving buses was the lowest at 0.04% among all vehicles involved in road crashes,” he said, adding that this does not mean it is alright for bus drivers to throw caution into the wind.

Universiti Sains Malaysia School of Civil Engineering (Transport Engineering) lecturer Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah said it has always been the driver’s responsibility to manage fatigue.

He said companies must ensure their drivers abide by procedures to get enough rest. Technology is available to track the activities of drivers and bus companies are expected to do so under their Code of Practice.

“There is no real need for a co-driver to be on board if the driver understands his responsibility to be awake and safe.

“It is not economical to have two drivers on board. Buses in first-world countries do not have co-drivers because they adhere to safety principles.

“We must follow the biological clock that tells us when to rest and fall asleep, which is usually between midnight and 4am.”

Ahmad Farhan said technology can be used to help passengers report unsafe drivers online to the company.

He said this would allow the company to take remedial action to ensure their drivers adhere to safety procedures.

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