Make sure the kids (and yourselves) are belted up.
Accidents on the freeway are much less frequent than on normal roads but when they do happen they do so at much higher speeds. Don't kid yourself - If you haven't trained your kids to accept the seatbelt yet you should start now.
Under no circumstances should a child ride on a parent's lap. In an accident it is physically impossible to keep hold of a child in your lap. Do not try to put the child inside your belt either - this is tantamount to using an infant as a living airbag as they will be caught between the belt and the force of your body.
Get a proper restraint suitable for their age - its the only way.
Something that my Singaporean colleagues and others who have been in Singapore for a while often ask me. Is the trip safe?
Their concerns come out of horror stories and folk lore of the 8 hour drive on the old highway up to Kuala Lumpur, dodging timber jiggers and the tyre traps laid out by unscrupulous kampong mechanics. Further north approaching Thailand there were concerns about terrorists and communist insurgents and Muslim fundamentalists. I still get warnings not to drive at night in the Malaysian countryside.
Whilst one should always use common sense and not tempt fate, what might have been the case 10 years ago is no more. The NS Expressway is one of the safest roads in Asia and has its own Tow service (see Emergencies). Southern Thailand is peaceful and now a growing tourist spot. The Thais ever anxious to allay fears, set up some years ago a special tourist police force with emphasis on popular tourist destinations. The trip into Thailand is a popular one for Malaysians with the town of Hat Yai, (one hour from the border) the most common destination.
Travel tips about safety need be no more cautious than the advice recommended for driving in Europe or the United States. Here are some common sense pointers:
· Plan your route before you leave.
· Always lock your car when you are away from it even if it is only for a quick minute.
· Don't leave valuables in the car.
· Park the car in hotel/secure parking overnight - keep it off the street.
· If you have an alarm use it.
· Take your mobile phone with you - it's always handy to have and they do work in these countries (GSM).
· Check your car over in the morning before you leave.
· Make sure you always have plenty of petrol in the tank.
Those who drive into Malaysia regularly know that you will at one point in the journey experience rain. This can on occasions, be extremely heavy. The effect is exaggerated by highway speeds and the suddenness of some of these downpours. I have gone into one of these storms on the expressway and come out on the other side minus an indicator. At times these storms are clearly apparent ahead on the roadway looking like what other drivers have described to me as walls of water - that should give you some indication of how heavy the rain can be.
The good news is that you are on the safest roadway in Malaysia, the bad news is that you are probably driving too fast. If you can, pull to the left lane and decrease speed, turn on low beam and if you have them, the front and rear fog lights - avoid highbeam and putting on any driving lights as these dazzle oncoming traffic and will annoy the drivers directly ahead of you. In these storms, no amount of lights are going to make visibility any better. The aim is to make sure you can be seen by others.
Malaysian authorities encourage motorists to turn on their hazard lights in such rainstorms but to me, this creates confusion in dense traffic as you lose any clue of other drivers' next move. Expect however to see most of the cars around you to do this
One for young players - overtaking irregardless of oncoming traffic, hills or crests, corners or bridges has created a relaxed wariness amongst experienced Asian drivers and an interesting phenomena.
No matter how big or many the oncoming vehicles are drivers will insist on overtaking - instant death? No instant third lane. Such is the frequency of this activity I would not be surpirsed if this technique is taught in driver training school. Countless times I have seen traffic part down the middle (no horns, no lights, no brakes and no fuss) to allow for that extra lane of oncoming traffic...
Since March 2000, Laos has seen a pattern of bombings aimed at tourist spots. Until the number of incidences drops you may want to reconsider this part of your trip or if you are still keen do so as part of a group. If in any doubt consult the travel advisory web pages of either the US or Australian foreign services. These sites are frequently updated, extremely conservative and err on the side of caution.
