Following the appearance of a video on social media showing a car drifting and smoking its tyres near a toll plaza on the Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway (DASH), PROLINTAS, the concessionaires for the expressway, have issued a statement to say that they will be working with the police to investigate the matter which took place early yesterday morning.
The toll plaza is near Denai Alam on the western end of the 20.1-km expressway which was opened in October 2022. According to the statement, a crowd had gathered in the area leading to the toll plaza and illegal activities took place, referring to the drifting maneuvers of the car (gathering on the highway itself would also be illegal).
A crowd of people could be seen in the video watching and recording the action which shows one black car cutting across the lanes leading to the toll plaza. It’s clear that the road was not closed to other traffic as two other cars can be seen in the background heading towards the toll plaza.
The statement also said that investigations showed long tyre marks on the road, believed to have been left by the car as it slid around and spun its wheels. One video circulating seems to show only one car although it is suggested that there may have been more cars involved where their drivers tried to ‘show off’.
The toll concessionaire said that illegal racing activities and unauthorised gatherings are strictly forbidden on the expressway and urged motorists to follow the speed limits and other regulations. Such illegal activities are not only a risk to those participating but also a danger to others using the highway.
The expressway, built at a cost of RM4.2 billion, provides a smooth and quick connection between Puncak Alam and Damansara Perdana. It reduces travelling time between the two points by about an hour compared to using existing roads. Because it has many long and open sections, it appeals to fast drivers but there are also some tricky turns to watch out for.
The incident was criticized by not just members of the public but also driving enthusiasts who saw it as giving their community a bad name. While drifting, which demonstrates car control, should not be done on public roads, there are places where it can be done safely, such as the carparks at MAEPS in Serdang and at the stadium in Shah Alam, Selangor.
