Victims of drink-driving crashes in Malaysia may soon find it easier to claim compensation. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on 12 October that the ministry is aiming to table amendments to the Road Transport Act in the first parliamentary meeting of next year, which would empower courts to order convicted drunk or drug-impaired drivers to compensate victims directly, Malay Mail reports.
At present, police and prosecutors can pursue criminal charges against drivers who cause fatal or catastrophic collisions while intoxicated, but victims must hire private lawyers and bring separate civil suits to claim damages. Loke said the goal is to combine the two processes into one, so that a judge can award compensation when the criminal case is heard.
This would remove a heavy burden from families who are already grieving or coping with serious injuries. Civil suits can be slow and expensive, and many people simply do not pursue them. A combined process could provide faster, more accessible justice, although the details of how compensation would be assessed and enforced will need to be spelled out in the bill.
On a separate matter, Loke said the Road Transport Department will give full technical and data cooperation to police investigating a fatal hit-and-run along Jalan Kuching that killed a five-year-old girl. The two stories together highlight road safety as a concern. Until laws change, the best protection is prevention: never drive after drinking or taking impairing drugs, arrange a ride, and speak up if a friend plans to drive while impaired.
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