
Photo: Trinn Suwannapha / World Bank
Malaysia
East Asia and Pacific
Malaysia's Road Safety Country Profile
This road safety country data presents information on all pillars of road safety (management, roads, speed, vehicles, road users, and post-crash care), along with information on the current status for each country and region – with extensive information on key risk factors, issues and opportunities.
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77%
Percentage of Road Crash Fatalities and Injuries in the economically productive age groups (15 - 64 years.)
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4:1
Ratio of Male to Female Fatalities with the 15 - 49 year age group being most vulnerable to fatalities.
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1,209 life yrs.
affected due to disability from road crash injuries per 100,000 people.
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Road crash fatalities and injuries snapshot
Country Population, 2016: 31,187,264 Country Reported Fatalities, 2016: 7,152 WHO Estimated Fatalities, 2016: 7,374 GBD Estimated Fatalities, 2016: 6,809 WHO Est. Fatalities per 100,000 Pop., 2016: 23.6 Estimated Serious Injuries, 2016: 110,610 Cost of Fatalities and Serious Injuries, 2016: $24,072 million Cost as % of country GDP, 2016: 8% -
Positioning of Country in Region (Compared to Countries with the Lowest Traffic Fatalities in the Region and Globally)
2016 WHO Estimated Road Fatalities 2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities 2016 WHO Estimated Fatality Rate/100,000 pop. 2016 GBD Estimated Fatality Rate/ 100,000 pop. % Trend in Fatality Rate/100,000 (2013-2016) Motorization Registered Vehicles/100,000 pop. Malaysia 7,374 6,809 23.6 22.48 5.5% 88,540 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION Micronesia 2 16 1.9 15.66 -0.3% 5,406 Kiribati 5 12 4.4 10.4 -5.2% 3,240 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY Switzerland 223 334 2.65 3.89 -5.4% 71,182 Singapore 155 197 2.76 3.53 -4.9% 16,604 Norway 143 215 2.72 4.09 2.4% 75,544 Sweden 278 390 2.83 3.88 -3.2% 62,037 2016 WHO Estimated Road Fatalities Malaysia 7,374 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION Micronesia 2 Kiribati 5 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY Switzerland 223 Singapore 155 Norway 143 Sweden 278 2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities Malaysia 6,809 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION Micronesia 16 Kiribati 12 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY Switzerland 334 Singapore 197 Norway 215 Sweden 390 2016 WHO Estimated Fatality Rate/100,000 pop. Malaysia 23.6 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION Micronesia 1.9 Kiribati 4.4 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY Switzerland 2.65 Singapore 2.76 Norway 2.72 Sweden 2.83 2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities Malaysia 22.48 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION Micronesia 15.66 Kiribati 10.4 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY Switzerland 3.89 Singapore 3.53 Norway 4.09 Sweden 3.88 2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities Malaysia 5.5% BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION Micronesia -0.3% Kiribati -5.2% BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY Switzerland -5.4% Singapore -4.9% Norway 2.4% Sweden -3.2% 2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities Malaysia 88,540 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION Micronesia 5,406 Kiribati 3,240 BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY Switzerland 71,182 Singapore 16,604 Norway 75,544 Sweden 62,037
To produce positive road safety outcomes, strong management in all aspects of road safety is key. Presence of a funded lead agency to guide the national road safety effort and implement a Safe Systems approach is recommended. | |
Malaysia has a lead agency present, Road Safety Department, Ministry of Transport, which is funded in the national budget, and has a road safety strategy which is partially funded. The functions of the agency include coordination, legislation and monitoring and evaluation of road safety strategies. The country only has a fatal road safety target, to reduce fatalities by 50% with a timeline of 2014 - 2020. |
Infrastructure and Speed Management Investment required: | $4.69 billion |
Annual Investment as a % of GDP (2019-2030): | 0.11% |
Reduction in fatalities per year: | 2,627 |
Approximate reduction in fatalities and serious injuries (FSI) over 20 years: | 580,000 |
Economic Benefit: | $91.74 billion |
B/C Ratio: | 20 |
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Maximum Speed Limits and Enforcement
National Speed Limit Speed Enforcement Manual National Speed Limit Speed Enforcement Manual
URBAN ROADS | RURAL ROADS | MOTORWAYS | |
Current Speed Limit | 90 km/h | 90 km/h | 110 km/h |
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed | +60 km/h | +20 km/h | +20 km/h |
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits | 17 times lower | 3 times lower | 2 times lower |
URBAN ROADS | |
Current Speed Limit | 90 km/h |
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed | +60 km/h |
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits | 17 times lower |
RURAL ROADS | |
Current Speed Limit | 90 km/h |
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed | +20 km/h |
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits | 3 times lower |
MOTORWAYS | |
Current Speed Limit | 110 km/h |
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed | +20 km/h |
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits | 2 times lower |
Major Speed Calming Measures Being Implemented
Narrowing | Horizontal Deflections |
Include lane narrowings by extending sidewalks, curb extensions, pedestrian refuges etc. | Used to make vehicles swerve slightly, include chicanes, pedesrian refuges, chokers etc. |
Vertical Deflections | Block or Restrict Access |
Include speed bumps, humps, cushions, tables, raised pedestrian crossing, variation in ride surface etc. | Include median diverters, closing streets to create pedestrian zones,cul-de-sacs etc. |
Narrowing |
Include lane narrowings by extending sidewalks, curb extensions, pedestrian refuges etc. |
Horizontal Deflections |
Used to make vehicles swerve slightly, include chicanes, pedesrian refuges, chokers etc. |
Vertical Deflections |
Include speed bumps, humps, cushions, tables, raised pedestrian crossing, variation in ride surface etc. |
Block or Restrict Access |
Include median diverters, closing streets to create pedestrian zones,cul-de-sacs etc. |
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27,613,120
total registered vehicles as of 2016
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46%
motorized 2/3 wheelers as of 2016
Country Compliance to the UN Vehicle Safety Regulations
Frontal and Side Impact (Reg. 94, 95) | Regulated Regulation of Import of Used Vehicles |
Motorcycle Anti-Lock Braking System (Reg. 78) | No Import Age Limit |
Pedestrian Protection (Reg. 127) | No Taxation Based Limits |
Electronic Stability Control (Reg. 140) | Yes Import Inspections |
Seat Belts and Anchorages (Reg. 16, 14) | No Periodic Inspection |
Frontal and Side Impact (Reg. 94, 95) |
Motorcycle Anti-Lock Braking System (Reg. 78) |
Pedestrian Protection (Reg. 127) |
Electronic Stability Control (Reg. 140) |
Seat Belts and Anchorages (Reg. 16, 14) |
Regulated Regulation of Import of Used Vehicles |
No Import Age Limit |
No Taxation Based Limits |
Yes Import Inspections |
No Periodic Inspection |
National Seatbelt, Drink Driving and Helmet Laws (WHO, 2016)
National Seatbelt Law | Motorcycle Occupant Age Restriction: Not restricted |
Driver | Legal Minimum Driving Age: 17 yrs. |
Front | National Drink Driving Law |
Back | Is Law BAC Based? |
Motorcycle Helmet Law | Random Drink Driving Tests |
Helmet Standards | % of Road Crach Fatalities Involving Alcohol: 0.1% |
National Seatbelt Law |
Driver |
Front |
Back |
Motorcycle Helmet Law |
Helmet Standards |
Motorcycle Occupant Age Restriction: Not restricted |
Legal Minimum Driving Age: 17 yrs. |
National Drink Driving Law |
Is Law BAC Based? |
Random Drink Driving Tests |
% of Road Crach Fatalities Involving Alcohol: 1 |
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Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Limits (g/dl)
General Population ≤0.08 Young Drivers ≤0.08 Professional Drivers ≤0.08 General Population ≤0.08 Young Drivers ≤0.08 Professional Drivers ≤0.08
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Good post-crash care reduces deaths and reduces disability and suffering for road crash survivors. The emergency medical care system elements and processes need to be effective to attain this objective.
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National Emergency Care Access Number: National, Single Number Traume Registry System: None Country Health Coverage Index - SDG Target 3.8; Target - 100: 70 Expenditure on Healthcare as % of GDP: 4%
- Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018. World Health Organization;
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). GBD Results Tool. Seattle, WA: IHME, University of Washington, 2015;
- Serious injuries have been calculated assuming a ratio of 15:1 (15 serious injuries for every death). This estimation broadly falls in the range of 30:1 in high income countries to 10:1 in low- and middle-income countries as crashes tend to be more fatal in the later context.
- Vaccines for Roads, International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP). Available from https://www.vaccinesforroads.org/;
- World Bank Databank for Development Indicators;
- M.H. Cameron, R. Elvik. 2010. Nilsson's Power Model connecting speed and road trauma;
- Austroads. Balance between harm reduction and mobility in setting speed limits;
- UNEP-ITC Background Paper on Used Vehicles Globally and Various Media Sources (Wikipedia and vehicle import websites);
- 2018 World Health Statistics, WHO.