KUALA LUMPUR: It seems like even when you are driving safely, you may still be dragged into an accident.
In the second incident of its kind in less than a week, three out of seven vehicles were badly damaged after a lorry plough into them at Persiaran Bukit Rahman Putra 1 here on Thursday.
Sungai Buloh OCPD Supt Shafa'aton Abu Bakar said that in the 6.20pm incident, the driver of the lorry, laden with tarmac, was believed to have lost control of the vehicle when navigating a downhill bend due to faulty brakes, and crashed into other vehicles waiting at a traffic light, causing a pile-up.
"The lorry crashed into three cars, a four-wheel-drive vehicle, two vans and a crane lorry that were stopped at the traffic lights.
"All the victims, aged between 35 and 57, escaped uninjured, but their vehicles were damaged,” she said in a statement Thursday.
Supt Shafa'aton said the 35-year-old lorry driver is under investigation, and a urine test would be carried out to determine if he was driving under the influence of drugs.
She said the case was being investigated under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
On Monday, a similar accident too place in Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, when an out-of-control lorry driven by Ardi Latif smashed into five vehicles.
Ardi, 25, was today charged at a magistrate's court in Kuala Lumpur with driving under the influence of drugs.
He was accused of driving the lorry under the influence of methamphetamine and amphetamine, where he was incapable of having proper control of the vehicle and had caused injuries to a car driver, Nik Adlee Saha Nik Ahmad Fauzi, 45.
The accused allegedly committed the offence at Jalan Segambut Utara heading towards Jalan Ipoh at 2.40pm on Sept 6.
The charge under Section 44(1A) of the Road Transport Act 1987 carries a maximum jail of 10 years and fine of between RM30,000 and RM50,000, and disqualification from driving for a period of no less than seven years from the date of conviction, if convicted.
Ardi pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to him before magistrate Amanina Mohd Anuar.
The court fixed bail at RM7,000 in one surety and ordered for the accused's driving licence to be suspended pending the disposal of the case.
