On Wednesday (20 Nov), a toddler was killed in an accident along the North-South Expressway southbound route near Johor Bahru. The 3-year-old boy was travelling in his family car — which contained seven other family members — before it was hit by a lorry.
According to the Star, the lorry driver lapsed into a micro-sleep just moments before the crash. A micro-sleep is a short period of dozing, typically lasting a few seconds.
Source: The Star
A clip of the aftermath of the accident was seen on Malaysian Chinese news site Sin Chew Daily.
Multiple people were seen lying on the side of the highway while paramedics tended to them. A large, orange lorry was also spotted next to the family’s red car at the scene.
The accident caused a jam on the expressway as vehicles were seen waiting to drive past the section of the road.
Source: Sin Chew Daily
Six Johor Fire and Rescue personnel were deployed to the scene after receiving a distress call at about 2.59pm that day.
The operation commander, Mr Jahairi Syukor, confirmed that the accident involved 9 victims — the lorry driver and the family of eight.
Source: Sin Chew Daily
“There are eight people inside the car – three men, one woman, three boys and one girl, while the trailer was driven by a male,” Mr Jahairi said. “However, it is unfortunate that one of the victims from the car, a young boy, believed to be three years old, died at the scene.”
He also shared that seven of the deceased’s family members sustained injuries from the accident and were rushed to the nearest hospital for immediate medical treatment.
The lorry driver escaped the accident with light injuries.
The Johor police were alerted to the accident shortly after the accident.
Muar OCPD Assistant Commissioner Mukhliz Azman Aziz shared that initial investigations reveal that the driver of the lorry, a 26-year-old man, had fallen into a ‘micro-sleep’ behind the wheel.
As a result, he lost control of the vehicle and hit the metal road barrier.
“The car, carrying the family of eight, crashed into the right side of the lorry,” Assistant Commissioner Mukhliz told The Star. He also added that the lorry driver had since been detained.
The 26-year-old is currently being investigated for causing death by reckless and dangerous driving, under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
If convicted, he may face a jail term of up to ten years, a fine amounting to RM20,000 (S$6,000) and will have his driving license revoked for at least three years.
Also read: M’sia Bus Driver Dozes Off While Driving, Company Allegedly Told Him To Work Despite Fatigue
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Featured image adapted from The Star and Sin Chew Daily.
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