Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) chairman Suret Singh said it was dangerous to attempt to repair vehicles or change tyres in the emergency lane of highways.

“All highway operators have patrol and rescue units, so contact them for assistance. If you don’t have the number on your phone, you can obtain it through a Google search.

“Usually, the highway patrol unit will arrive as soon as possible and tow the vehicle to the nearest rest area. Also, all passengers need to exit the vehicle and gather outside the road barrier,” he said in a statement today.

He advised motorists to learn from the fatal incident that occurred at the North-South Expressway Central Link (Elite) on Dec 18 that killed 10 people.

A mother and eight of her children as well as a mechanic were killed in an incident involving three cars and a trailer at the Elite USJ rest area heading towards Shah Alam.

The trailer was believed to have rammed into three cars that had stopped in the emergency lane after one of them broke down.

Suret said broken-down vehicles should engage their emergency lights and drivers are advised to place a reflective triangle or a safety cone around 30m behind the vehicle and use a flashlight for the purpose.

“This is to enable other motorists to see the broken-down vehicle in the emergency lane,” he said.

He also suggested that motorists keep a reflective vest to be used at night in the event of a breakdown.

“It is good to have such a vest available in the vehicle for emergencies,” he added.