From left: YBrs Mr Steve Miller, Chief Executive Officer of MRC Malaysia; YBhg Prof Madya Ts Dr Basharudin Abdul Hadi, Pensyarah Kanan at UiTM; and YBrs Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid, Co-ordinator of VTAREC during the FB Live session at VTAREC’s office in Kuala Lumpur.
KUALA LUMPUR, 13 February 2026: As Chinese New Year approaches, Vehicle Theft and Accident Reduction Council of Malaysia (VTAREC), in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and MRC Malaysia, organised a 30-minute Facebook (FB) Live session titled “Using Handphone While Driving Can Cost Lives” to raise public awareness in conjunction with the festive season.
The session was moderated by VTAREC’s Co-ordinator, YBrs Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid, and featured two panellists, YBhg Prof Madya Ts Dr Basharudin Abdul Hadi, Pensyarah Kanan at UiTM, and YBrs Mr Steve Miller, Chief Executive Officer of MRC Malaysia. The session mainly focused on raising public awareness about the risks of using mobile phones while driving and the importance of practising safe driving habits. Apart from sharing their insights on the given topic, the panellists also addressed public concerns by responding to questions submitted during the FB Live session.
VTAREC’s Co-ordinator, YBrs Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid, moderating the FB Live session with featured panellists, YBhg Prof Madya Ts Dr Basharudin Abdul Hadi, Pensyarah Kanan at UiTM, and YBrs Mr Steve Miller, Chief Executive Officer of MRC Malaysia.
YBrs Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid opened the session by sharing statistics gathered from 2019 to 2024, which showed that approximately 6,000 road fatalities occurred every year in Malaysia, with over 80% caused by human behavior. In the Klang Valley alone, 43.4% of drivers were reported to use their mobile phones while driving. These figures are alarming and highlight the urgent need for greater public awareness.
Following that, YBrs Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid reminded the public to be mindful of mobile phone usage while driving, emphasising that anything can happen within a span of five seconds behind the wheel, particularly with the festive season approaching and urged drivers to protect themselves and others on the road.
YBhg Prof Madya Ts Dr Basharudin Abdul Hadi, Pensyarah Kanan at UiTM, answering a question by YBrs Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid, Co-ordinator of VTAREC during the FB Live session.
From an academic perspective, YBhg Prof Madya Ts Dr Basharudin Abdul Hadi explained that the human brain is not capable of multitasking and can focus on only one task at a time. With that being said, using mobile phones while driving significantly increases the risk of road accidents, as the brain cannot respond effectively during emergencies. He cited a research published by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) in 2018, which found that using mobile phones while driving leads to errors such as entering the wrong lane and delayed braking. Another study indicated that driving while using a phone is equivalent to driving under the influence of alcohol.
The session continued with YBrs Mr Steve Miller, who highlighted that the use of mobile phone definitely contributes to the increase of road accidents, as people rely on their phones too heavily in their daily life, even while driving. He gave a practical example of Grab drivers checking Waze for their next pickup or delivery, which prevents them from fully concentrating on the road. Many drivers need to use their phones as part of their responsibilities to earn a living. YBrs Mr Steve Miller noted that this issue is unlikely to disappear soon, as it is both a social and economic challenge.
YBrs Mr Steve Miller highlighting the social and economic challenges of mobile phone use while driving, answering a question forwarded by YBrs Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid, Co-ordinator of VTAREC.
YBrs Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid then asked YBhg Prof Madya Ts Dr Basharudin Abdul Hadi on why public awareness of this issue remains low despite numerous campaigns. YBhg Prof Madya Ts Dr Basharudin Abdul Hadi responded that campaigns alone are not enough if there is no change in human behaviour and insufficient enforcement.
YBrs Mr Steve Miller added that enforcement is important in reducing accidents risks, as drivers are more likely to follow the rules when they understand the consequences of being caught. He also highlighted that most drivers are unaware of how long they spend using their phones while driving, as they are easily distracted. Towards the end of the session, YBrs Mr Steve Miller emphasised that there is no single solution to this issue, addressing it is the responsibility of everyone.
The session ended with YBrs Puan Mas Tina expressing her appreciation to YBhg Prof Madya Ts Dr Basharudin Abdul Hadi and YBrs Mr Steve Miller for taking the time to join her in educating the public on this important topic and expressed hope for a reduction in road accidents during the festive season this year.
VTAREC staff in a group photo with the featured panellists after the FB Live session.
YBrs Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid presenting the appreciation plaques to YBhg Prof Madya Ts Dr Basharudin Abdul Hadi and YBrs Mr Steve Miller following the FB Live session.
