Fatal Brake Failure in Lorry Causes Tragedy at JB Checkpoint, Claiming Two Lives
“Don’t enter the lorry lane, guys, please love your lives,” a witness cautioned, following a harrowing traffic incident at the Tanjung Kupang toll plaza near the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ).
The Iskandar Puteri Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call about the tragic event on 22 Dec yesterday at 6:04 am, as informed by its operations commander, Hairulnizam Mohd Noh, according to The Star.
Arriving at the scene, rescuers were confronted with the heartbreaking sight of two motorcyclists, aged 49 and 54, who lay lifeless.
The Incident Explained
Many Malaysians, seeking a better exchange rate, frequently travel between Johor Bahru (JB) and Singapore.
Over 300,000 Malaysians cross the Johor-Singapore Causeway daily, one of the busiest overland border crossings in the region, according to CNA.
These two motorcyclists were among those traveling to Singapore for work in the early morning, alongside other vehicles including a lorry, a bus, and a trailer.
However, disaster struck when the brakes of a lorry heading to Singapore allegedly failed.
At around 5:50 am, this mechanical failure led to a horrific collision involving five vehicles.
Regrettably, both motorcyclists were fatally injured and pronounced dead at the scene.
Miraculously, the trailer driver, bus driver, and all 29 bus passengers escaped unscathed.
Witnesses uploaded photos revealing the chaos of the incident, with bloodstained roads, damaged vehicles, and the two lifeless bodies evident in the aftermath.
Hairulnizam relayed that efforts to rescue a motorcyclist trapped under the lorry using air lifting bags were futile.
It was only with the aid of a passing tow truck, which lifted the lorry, that they could finally free the rider.
Tragically, it was too late to save the motorcyclist.
The bodies of the motorcyclists, the lorry driver, and others involved were transported to Sultanah Aminah Hospital in JB.
The 45-year-old lorry driver complained of chest pain, while the rest remained unharmed.
The bus passengers continued their journey on a replacement bus, leaving behind a scene of devastation.
The Root Cause: A Failed Brake
A single mechanical failure – a failed brake – set off this tragic chain of events.
The police are diligently investigating this case under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, concerning reckless or dangerous driving leading to death.
The lorry driver faces the possibility of his driving licence being disqualified, a fine ranging from RM20,000 ($5700) to RM50,000 ($14,230), and/or a jail term of five to 10 years for the first offence.
Repeat offences could result in a fine between RM50,000 ($14,230) and RM100,000 ($28,450), and up to 15 years in jail.
In light of such incidents, the inconvenience of a 3-hour traffic jam pales in comparison to the importance of safe driving.
Iskandar Puteri district police chief assistant commissioner Rahmat Ariffin stated that the lorry driver would be detained for further investigation once his medical treatment is completed.