Essay On Careless Drivers

Heavy penalties should be imposed on careless drivers as evidence suggests that careless driving remains a major road safety concern for the general public and is associated with many road deaths and injuries. Careless driving as defined by police authorities and legal bodies as driving without due care and attention and usually without reasonable consideration for other road users.(Ott Legal-careless driving definition). List of careless or unsafe driving actions can go on and on and some of them as listed by Free Advice Staff are “aggressive driving, speeding, illegal lane changes, excessive honking, conspicuously absent signal use, falling asleep at the wheel and of course drivers holding cell phone in one hand while driving”. Government

Demerit points defined as marks given against a person for failure or misconduct.(The Free Dictionary). In Malaysia, there are only two main categories of drivers which are ‘P’(new drivers who just received their licence) and Competent Driver Licenses (C.D.L.) or passed drivers. According to Kejara System (2014) or the demerit system adopted by the Malaysian Road Transport Department, the reasons of introducing the system are to raise awareness of traffic rules compliance among vehicle operators, to develop drivers who are disciplined, responsible and considerate on road and to assist government’s efforts in reducing road accidents (“Objective” section). The system also highlights that all in all there are 18 important offences involved on the road whereby demerit points were given. Demerit points given varies according to seriousness of the traffic offence. Some of the offences are careless driving, street racing, failure to adhere to the traffic light, driving over speed limit, failure to stop at junction and overtaking at a double line. For careless driving eight demerit points were given. (“Offence and the corresponding demerit points” section). If the demerit points accumulate to certain extent there is possibility for suspension of driver’s licence. So, giving demerit points is another way of imposing heavy penalty to careless