MIRI: Road safety education should begin long before young people get behind the wheel.
With that objective in mind, officers from the District Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Division (BSPT) visited SMK Merbau on Wednesday to teach students how to become responsible and safety conscious road users.
The programme, organised at the invitation of the school, brought together 58 students and six teachers for an interactive road safety awareness session led by Inspector G. Visvanathan Guna Cekeren, assisted by Sergeant Major Mohd Khairul Annuar Ahmad Kassim.
The officers highlighted the importance of obeying traffic laws and recognising road signs, while stressing the need to comply with traffic signals at all times.
Students were also reminded that wearing seat belts in vehicles and helmets when riding as motorcycle passengers are essential measures that save lives.
The session also focused on pedestrian safety, including the proper use of zebra crossings and pedestrian bridges, as well as understanding vehicle blind spots that can place pedestrians at risk.
Drawing on real-life road accident cases reported in and around school areas, the officers explained how simple acts of negligence could lead to serious or fatal consequences.
Students were urged to remain alert whenever travelling to and from school and to avoid becoming involved in illegal motorcycle racing.
A key message throughout the programme was that helmets should never be viewed as a fashion accessory, but as critical protective equipment capable of preventing serious head injuries in the event of a crash.
Following the talk, traffic officers conducted inspections on motorcycles used by students to travel to school, ensuring that the vehicles complied with basic safety requirements.
