BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN — The National Road Safety Council (MKKJR) will launch a real-time accident database in January next year to analyse the causes of traffic mishaps and help reduce the number of road fatalities.
Road traffic information can be updated immediately, accurately and in a coordinated manner through the Road Accident Data Development and Enhancement (RADED) system, the minister of transport and infocommunications said on Saturday.
YB Dato Seri Setia Abdul Mutalib POKSSDP Hj Mohammad Yusof said road safety stakeholders will get access to the real-time database once it launches.
Funded by MKKJR, the database went live when the trial phase began on July 1.
The council developed the database in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi Brunei’s Center for Transport Research.
In a statement, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTIC) said the number of accidents has decreased from 3,598 cases in 2011 to 1,196 cases in 2019.
Road fatalities have also declined from 47 to 13 in the same period.
The council reported 78 vehicle fire incidents as of November 19, compared to 80 cases in the same period last year.
Gov’t updates road safety blueprint
MKKJR is currently working on producing the Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Strategic Plan 2025, which will replace the Blueprint Decade of Action For Road Safety 2011-2020.
Speaking at an event to mark World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, YB Dato Abdul Mutalib said the strategic plan will strengthen the management and implementation of the council’s initiatives.
The Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Strategic Plan 2025 is part of the Brunei Declaration on Road Safety 2020 which was approved at the virtual 26th ASEAN Transport Ministers’ Meeting recently, added the minister.
The document also supports the commitment, support and cooperation of ASEAN member countries in reducing the number of road accident victims by 50 percent from 2020 to 2030.
He further said the government’s TransportBN mobile app has been downloaded over 41,000 times since it was introduced in September last year.
The app is one of MTIC’s initiatives to digitise its services.
The number of app downloads gives an overall picture of the use of online services for transport services and its potential for further improvement, the minister added.
MTIC is still offering counter services for users who are unable to access the app.