REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) has asked Eid-al-Fitri or Lebaran travellers, especially those on two-wheelers, to pay attention to safety. The MTI Presidium Chairman, Muslih Zaenal Asikin, said that two-wheeler riders always contributed to about 70 per cent of the accident rate during the Lebaran exodus.

MTI wanted travellers using two-wheelers to take time to rest and to limit passengers and luggage. "The number of two-wheeler riders this year is still high and they are at risk of contributing to accidents. Motorists should give priority to their safety," said Asikin.

"Ideally, four-wheeler drivers should rest for a moment after driving for four hours, while motorcycle riders must take rest at least every two hours," he said.

Moreover, long-distance riders were generally not very familiar with the routes and needed to concentrate all the time because of the dense flow of vehicles.

Askin said the government needed to be firm about limiting the number of passengers and the amount of luggage on two-wheelers as overloading posed the risk of accidents.

Two-wheelers carrying three people or too much luggage needed to be intercepted from where they set off, for their safety. "Police will face a dilemma if they intercept them in the middle of their journey, because it is then impossible to reduce the number of passengers or the luggage by force," he said.

Also read: MTI advises Lebaran travelers to use mudik application

MTI Deputy Chairman, Djoko Setijawarno, said the free travel programme had not significantly lowered the number of travellers using two-wheelers.

Even at the press conference, the National Commercial Shipping Entrepreneurs Association of Indonesia (INSA), which provides free Lebaran trips by ship for two-wheeler riders, revealed the number of enthusiasts this year only reached 50 per cent.

"The number of those already registered only reached 15,200 motorcycles against the target of 30,000 motorcycles," Djoko of INSA said.

Djoko explained that travellers preferedr to ride their two-wheelers because they could use the vehicles in their hometowns too.

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