PETALING JAYA: Errant motorists who speed and ignore traffic signals, beware. The newly-upgraded Automatic Awareness Safety System (Awas) may not stand out as a visible deterrent but it is now more formidable than ever.

Integrated with the Kejara demerit points system, the latest Awas features a state-of-the-art automated number plate recognition technology, which can provide complete details of a vehicle and its ownership at the push of a button, making it a powerful tool in enforcing road safety and capturing traffic violations.

It also has an enhanced camera system that covers a wider area up to several traffic lanes and captures sharper images.

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research director-general Assoc Prof Dr Siti Zaharah Ishak said Awas combines automated enforcement with a structured demerit system that would create a more robust deterrent against traffic violations.

She said knowing such violations would result in immediate penalties – including the demerit points system for serious traffic offences, which can result in the suspension of one’s driving licence – could spur consistent compliance to traffic laws.

“The implementation of Kejara will further enhance awareness and compliance to traffic rules among motorists, particularly those who violate speed limits and beat red lights.

“By focusing on the consequences of violations rather than just the presence of enforcement cameras, Awas effectively changes a driver’s behaviour and promotes a safer driving culture,” she said in an interview.

Siti Zaharah said since its inception in 2017, Awas had effectively reshaped road safety, significantly reducing accidents and boosting compliance of traffic regulations while complementing the older Automated Enforcement System (AES).

“While some may perceive Awas to be less visible compared to AES, its effectiveness is not solely dependent on its visibility.

“The impact of Awas goes beyond mere compliance as it encourages long-term adherence to traffic laws and reduces the likelihood of repeat offences,” Siti Zaharah said.

She also said there was a significant increase recorded in compliance with speed limits from 51% to 95% when Awas was installed in the early stages at six pilot locations, namely Sungkai, Slim River, Taiping, Putrajaya and two zones in Kajang.

Siti Zaharah said at another four pilot locations at traffic light junctions in Kuala Lumpur and Perak, the compliance rate increased from 96% to 98%.In Kedah, with the use of Awas at four traffic light locations, accident rates dropped by 38% in 2018.

She said positive outcomes were also seen on highways where the number of fatal accidents had gone down by 12% in 2018 compared with 2017 after Awas cameras were put up.According to data from the Malaysian Highway Authority, 13 locations with Awas speed cameras on PLUS highways recorded a 31% drop in accident rates in 2018.

On road safety for motorists, Siti Zaharah said strictly observing speed limits and complying with traffic lights are crucial in ensuring all road users are safeguarded from mishaps.

“Speed limits are established to give drivers better control of their vehicles and more time to react to unexpected situations.

“Traffic light violations often result in high-speed crashes at intersections and are highly likely to cause severe injuries or fatalities due to the angle and force of the impact,” she said.

Yesterday, The Star reported that the new and upgraded Awas speed cameras, which will replace existing older models, had sparked a debate among road safety experts who felt that the less-visible cameras along roads and highways could undermine road safety.

The new Awas cameras are said to be far more efficient and have wider capabilities in their surveillance feature, producing high-resolution images.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/08/11/awas-steering-road-safety-forward