The amount of casualties from road accidents is increasing. Statistics have recorded over 13,000 cases from January to December 2006. Yet both the ministry of Transport and the National Transport Authority are not really dealing with this problem. We need new legislation to protect road accident victims, especially those of uninsured drivers. Fining or imprisoning faulty drivers is not enough. Our Road Traffic Act is obsolete and needs reviewing to adapt to growing traffic and inadequate road conditions.

We?ve had many ?hit-and-run? accidents by irresponsible motorists. There are allegedly 22% uninsured drivers on our roads. By the time the police stop them, it is too late as casualties have already arisen through their reckless driving. In what way can their victims be compensated, as no insurance company is liable for compensation? They are the big losers and have no recourse.

There is a prime minister?s relief fund for accident victims but it is applicable mostly to industrial accidents and hardly to road casualties. Besides, the compensation is negligible. Motor insurance under the Road Traffic Act should be reviewed to protect victims of uninsured drivers.

The ministry of Transport and the representative body of insurance companies should establish a ?Motor Insurers? Bureau? to compensate third-party victims of accidents when insurance claims cannot be made because vehicles involved are not insured or improperly insured. An injured party could then establish negligence against the driver and claim compensation just as if the driver had been properly insured.

The next reform should be the payment for treatment of road casualties in hospitals. An insurance policy or security could cover third-party liabiity concerning bodily injury (fatal or otherwise) to any person caused by or arising from a motor vehicle on the road.