JSPT (Jabatan Siasatan dan Penguatkuasaan Trafik / Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department) Bukit Aman is investigating the actions of an escort who stopped a truck in a dangerous manner.
The director of the department, Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri said he was aware of the incident. “JSPT will investigate the incident and in terms of compliance with standard operating procedures,” he told Harian Metro.
The incident went viral after a 35-second clip believed to be a dashboard camera recording from the lorry was uploaded on social media.
The video shows a police escort suddenly swerving in front of a lorry and ordering the driver to stop immediately. The truck was able to stop but within a very close distance to the two motorcycles in front of it. The escort himself was also in danger should the truck’s brakes malfunction.
Every road user, what more trained enforcers such as traffic police, should be aware of the braking distances of other vehicles, especially for heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses. The weight of heavy vehicles produce very high momentum thus requiring a longer stopping distances. In addition, the driver may lose control of the vehicle when applying sudden braking.
Apart from that, drivers behind the bus or lorry may also be affected because they cannot see further ahead apart from the back of the bus or lorry. The driver behind has the potential to crash into the vehicle in front and cause a chain accident.
