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IN Sabah, driving is no longer just about getting from one place to another. For many motorists, it has become an exercise in constant anticipation – where unpredictability is part of the journey.

For Alvin Sagaya Sandanam, a Perak-born student at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), the adjustment was immediate.

“My foot was constantly hovering over the brake pedal,” he said, recalling a vehicle weaving unpredictably across lanes without signalling. “You are forced into hyper-vigilance.” 

His experience reflects a wider sentiment among road users in the State – that driving conditions demand heightened alertness at all times.

A Persistent Safety Concern

Available data indicates that Sabah records between 20,000 and 30,000 road accidents annually, with fatalities consistently ranging from 400 to over 500 deaths each year. 

Even during periods of reduced traffic, such as the pandemic years, the decline in fatalities did not significantly outpace the drop in road usage – pointing to deeper systemic issues.

Motorcyclists remain among the most vulnerable, making up a disproportionate share of road fatalities.

Human Behaviour at the Core

Authorities, including the Royal Malaysia Police and the Road Transport Department Malaysia, have consistently identified human error as the leading cause of accidents.

Reckless driving, failure to obey traffic signals and distracted driving – especially mobile phone use – are among the most common factors.

JPJ enforcement operations continue to record frequent offences such as:

• speeding
• improper lane usage
• failure to wear helmets

For Alvin, these findings are reflected in daily reality.

“Some drivers stay in the fast lane but move slowly, sometimes using their phones,” he said. “Then others start weaving through lanes. That’s when accidents happen.” 

Infrastructure: An Overlooked Risk

While behaviour is a major contributor, road conditions also play a significant role.

“Potholes? I call them landmines,” Alvin said. “Drivers swerve suddenly to avoid them.” 

Such sudden manoeuvres increase the risk of collisions, particularly on congested roads.

Lighting conditions further complicate matters, especially at night.

“There are stretches where streetlights are completely dead. You only see obstacles when your headlights catch them.” 

Enforcement: Presence vs Perception

Another issue raised by motorists is enforcement visibility.

“In West Malaysia, it feels like there’s always monitoring – cameras or patrols. Here, it feels limited,” Alvin said. 

While authorities maintain that enforcement operations are ongoing nationwide, public perception suggests that visibility and consistency may vary – affecting deterrence.

Accountability and Driving Culture

Interestingly, Alvin noted a difference in behaviour among e-hailing drivers.

“They follow the rules – but I think it’s because of ratings and feedback.” 

This points to a broader issue: accountability influences behaviour. Where monitoring or consequences are clear, compliance tends to improve.

 ‘A Heavy Task’ on the Road

Another UMS student, Sarawakian Olivero Manding, described driving in Sabah as a “heavy task”.

“In my humble opinion, driving is normally a relaxed activity – you just want to get from point A to point B. However, in Sabah, it becomes a task in itself due to many factors such as driver behaviour, road conditions and infrastructure.

“Personally, I say this in the nicest way possible, but driving in Sabah is very unpredictable for me. I have driven in Sarawak, Selangor and Pahang, and none of them compare to Sabah in this regard.

“I’ve witnessed and experienced countless clumsy, dangerous or oblivious drivers since driving in Sabah,” he said.

He recalled an incident where a driver refused to allow him to merge, even honking to pressure him despite proper signalling.

“In my experience, not a week goes by without an accident happening somewhere, which often leads to traffic congestion,” he added.

Roads, Lighting and Everyday Risks

Olivero also highlighted infrastructure concerns.

“As much as I dislike it, potholes in Sabah have become very common. In some areas, I have to drive slowly to avoid damaging my car, which can contribute to traffic congestion.

“In certain parts of Sepanggar, street lighting is either not working or very minimal. Roads I particularly dislike include Lorong Kilang 1 and roads in the Telipok area in general.”

A Culture of Normalisation

Despite ongoing enforcement and awareness campaigns, Sabah’s accident figures have remained largely unchanged.

This suggests a deeper issue – the normalisation of risk.

“It’s normalised. People adapt instead of solving the problem,” Alvin said. 

When unsafe conditions become routine, meaningful behavioural change becomes harder to achieve.

The Road Ahead

Authorities continue to emphasise enforcement, education and compliance as key pillars of road safety.

However, the persistence of high accident rates indicates that more targeted and sustained interventions may be needed – particularly in addressing both infrastructure gaps and driving behaviour.

For Olivero, one solution lies in stricter licensing standards.

“Driving schools should be stricter when issuing licences. Not everyone should be granted a licence – especially those who show little concern for others on the road,” he said.

Challenge is not new

The experiences shared by drivers may be personal, but they reflect a broader pattern supported by data.

Sabah’s road safety challenge is not new – but it remains unresolved.

And until systemic issues are addressed, the daily reality for motorists is unlikely to change.

As Alvin put it:

“Why adapt when you can solve?”