Safe Travels - Ensuring a pleasant journey home

As families make their way home for the festive period reunion, a disproportionately high number of vehicles end up traveling on our road system at the same time. Many of these journeys do not conclude with happy endings, however, as road traffic accidents similarly spike during these periods, despite toughened traffic enforcement from the police.

A few simple guidelines can help ensure that your next balik kampong trip will not only be safe, but pleasant and memorable as well:

The Right Car: Pick the vehicle that offers your family the best protection from the dangers of the road, and keep it in optimum maintenance at all times.

Buckle Up: All occupants need to belt up, and young ones must be strapped into child safety seats, preferably attached to ISOFIX anchors if possible. New-borns, in particular, must be rear-facing.

Keep the Journey Fun: Long outstation trips can be tedious and boring, especially for passengers. Pack some snacks to munch on along the way, and bring along some favourite toys and games for the children.

Break the Journey: Malaysia’s comprehensive network of highways have some very clean and well-equipped rest stops spaced at regular intervals. Sip some coffee or tea at any of these stops to keep fatigue at bay. The adventurous ones might want to consider detours along the way to some of our nation’s most iconic makan places for some added culinary delight.

Plan for Time:  Stay tuned to travel advisories from highway authorities and plan your journey accordingly to avoid congestion. Hitting the road early gives you leeway on your timing and also avoid the worst of our scorching afternoon sun.

Positive Attitude:  Festive periods are meant to be joyful times for the family. The mood of your journey home sets the tone for your celebration of the year. Practice good driving habits and carry a positive spirit on the road. Throttle down the ego, rev up the courtesy, and embrace a little bit more communal spirit with each other!

On behalf of Volkswagen Malaysia, Carlist.my would like to wish Malaysians happy holidays and Gong Xi Fa Chai.

Click on the image to view in higher resolution.