A collision between a pick-up truck and a passenger car in Mersing recently resulted in serious injuries to a 1-year old infant and 6-year old child. Their parents, who were in the car, also had bone injuries. Witnesses who saw the accident take place were angered by the recklessness of the truck driver and also the fact that he sped off after the accident.
According to reports in various media, the pick-up truck (a Nissan Navara) had rammed into the Toyota Vios at Km57 Jalan Batu Pahat in Mersing, Johor. The impact caused the car to skid and crash into a tree. Both children suffered brain haemorrhage, with the younger one also having an injury to her hip bone while the older one had a swollen jaw bone.
Two victims in induced coma
As a result, both children had to be put into an induced coma and undergo a brain scan to determine their condition. If their injury is serious and there is severe bleeding, they will have to undergo surgery. They are currently at the Intensive Care Unit of the Enche’ Besar Hajjah Khalsom Hospital in Kluang.
The 29-year old driver of the truck was suspected of being drunk and arrested by police from the Kluang District Police Headquarters. His blood samples have been tested and police applied for a remand order to investigate the case which is classified under Section 42 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Even one accident is unacceptable
While the police have stated that drunk driving is the lowest cause of road deaths in Malaysia, and is said to be the lowest cause of death from the thousands of fatal road accidents over a 10-year period, the fact remains that even one accident is unacceptable. An innocent person’s life could be lost or changed by severe injuries as a result of the accident.
It is an individual’s choice to consume alcohol but it should be done responsibly. Those who realise they have had too much to drink and their judgement is poor should be responsible enough not to drive. The thing to do would be to call a taxi or be sent home by someone else. Ideally, one person in the group who is a non-drinking person can be a designated driver. Note that accompanying someone driving the car who is obviously drunk can also put your own life at risk.
