Kota Kinabalu: Authorities have been urged to review all U-turns located before traffic lights around the city, which many motorists consider dangerous.
Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Satta) Chairman Dato’ Seri Winston Liaw made the call following an accident on Tuesday morning.
“This occurred at the Jalan Lintas U-turn area opposite TBMC. Many motorists have complained about the hazardous one-way traffic lights before the U-turn,” he said.
Liaw urged the authorities to either close the U-turn lane or install two-way traffic lights to better manage traffic flow from both directions.
He noted that vehicles approaching from one direction often travel at speeds of between 70 and 90 km/h, making it difficult for motorists from the opposite direction to judge whether oncoming vehicles are stopping or merely slowing down.
Such misjudgements frequently lead to accidents. In addition, the U-turn lane often causes long queues and traffic congestion, he said.
Liaw said the Ministry of Transport and the Public Works Department (JKR) should be aware of the situation, as it occurs daily. However, despite numerous accidents, no action has been taken.
“The relevant authorities must take immediate action to prevent further accidents,” he said.
He added that the situation worsens at night due to glare from oncoming vehicles and poor street lighting, making it even harder to judge vehicle speed.
