Transport minister Anthony Loke has announced that Automated Awareness Safety System (AwAS) cameras will be upgraded to a point-to-point monitoring method, replacing the current static approach. The new method will make the speed trap more comprehensive by calculating the average speed between two checkpoints using distance and travel time.
The minister explained that the current system, which deploys AwAS cameras at static locations, has not effectively reduced vehicle speeds or minimised accident risks. The reason for this is because drivers merely slow down in front of the cameras instead of maintaining reduced speeds over a specific distance.
How the new system works is that it will calculate how long it takes for vehicles to get between point A and point B. If it detects that the journey was faster than expected, it indicates speeding and penalties will be applied. It will be introduced in hazardous and high-risk areas, such as the hilly stretches of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK) near Genting Sempah and the Menora Tunnel in Ipoh.
Additionally, Loke revealed that Malaysia will roll out a high-speed weigh-in-motion (HS-WIM) camera system by September to monitor overweight lorries and prevent fatal collisions. The system is set to be operational from the third quarter of this year, with ten cameras planned to be installed in accident-prone areas with heavy traffic.
(Source: NST)
