BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The majority of people killed and injured in road accidents involved 18- to 38-year-old men, 2021 government data showed.

A large number of car crashes also involved novice or inexperienced drivers, said Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary of Transport and Communications Hj Mohd Salihin Hj Aspar.

Announcing the latest road safety statistics in a press briefing on Tuesday, he said 16 people were killed on Brunei roads in 2021 — up from 11 in the previous year.

However, the total number of road traffic accidents fell to a 13-year-low of 2,812 last year. The 2021 road mishap figures also represented a 29.6% decrease compared to 2020.

Out of the total number of road accidents, 343 resulted in minor and severe injuries.

As of April this year, seven fatalities and 315 road accidents were reported.

Hj Mohd Salihin said the National Road Safety Council (MKKJR) found that drivers’ failure to comply with traffic rules, such as running a red light and not wearing seat belts, were the top causes of accidents.

MKKJR will continue to carry out improve road infrastructure, especially areas where road accidents or hotspots occur, he added.

Some of the road safety initiatives include installing a variable message sign at the Sultan Hj Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge (SHOAS) Bridge, and installing rumble strips and speed limit signs.

Slow down signs have also been set up in some accident hotspots.

The council will also upgrade the Road Accident Data Enhancement and Development (RADED) system to facilitate analysis and get accurate information to devise appropriate policies, he added.

In 2021, the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) recorded 18,495 road traffic offences as a result of 2,533 enforcement operations carried out. 

The top five traffic offences were vehicles fitted with dark plastic or blinds, illegal car modifications, failure to wear seat belts, driving with expired license and indiscriminate parking.