KUCHING: The Ministry of Transport Sarawak (MOTS) is strengthening collective approach to road safety as the state recorded a total of 17,847 road accidents from January to October this year, Its Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said of the total, 213 were minor accidents, 110 were serious accidents and fatal accidents accounted for 305. He said the statistics show that motorcars account for more than half of the total accidents, followed by four-wheel-drive vehicles and motorcycles, with Kuching, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu remain the divisions with the highest number of cases. “Speeding, loss of vehicle control, rear-end collisions and side-impact crashes at junction intersections continue to be the main causes of accidents, reflecting the need for stronger behavioural change among drivers,” he said. He delivered the updates during his ministerial winding-up session at the 19th Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting on Tuesday. To manage higher travel risks especially during festive seasons, he said the Ministry has worked closely with PDRM, JPJ Sarawak, JKR Sarawak and other agencies to carry out road safety campaigns in Sarikei, Miri, Mukah and Bintulu, with additional campaigns set for Betong and Serian this month ahead of Christmas. Dato Sri Lee stressed that road safety can only be achieved when all road users play their part. “The statistics are reminders that awareness, behaviour and shared responsibility are crucial to reducing accidents on our roads,” he added. On another matter, he highlighted the expansion of the Sarawak Traffic Games (STG) to Sarikei, Kuching, Sibu, Sri Aman and most recently Bintulu on 15 November 2025, saying the Games help instil early awareness among schoolchildren. “In addition to enforcement and engineering, education remains a critical pillar in shaping safer behaviour, especially among our young road users,” he added. The Transport Awareness Behavioural Change (T-ABC) programme also continues across all 12 divisions, with sessions completed this year in Mukah, Bintulu and Miri. Dato Sri Lee said MOTS will strengthen collaboration with JPJ Sarawak, PDRM and the Sarawak State Education Department next year to expand road safety awareness programmes for schoolchildren.-UKASnews Reporter: Alezxandria Kapple ​​​​​​​Photographer: Jaed Tepus