KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 — The movement control order (MCO), travel restrictions and appeal to stay at home resulted in a reduction in road accidents and deaths last year, said Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) director, Datuk Azisman Alias.

He said 418,237 road accidents were recorded across the country in 2020, which is a 26.3 per cent decrease compared to 567,516 in 2019, while fatalities fell to 4,634 compared to 6,167 in 2019.

"The MCO has helped a lot in reducing the number of cases,” said Azisman during a press conference in Bukit Aman today.

He said the highest number of road accidents last year involved motorcyclists with deaths totalling 3,118.

"This has also decreased compared to 3,959 in 2019,” he said.

Azisman also reported that 7,655 people were arrested last year for a range of offences, including 3,394 for driving while intoxicated and 2,624 for road bullying.

He said the police collected fines totalling RM395.3 million last year compared to RM305.9 million in 2019, an increase of 29.2 per cent.

He added that the police are in the final stage of an app development process that will enable the public to pay fines online.

He said it is being prepared for the website and smartphones and "will be launched soon, maybe in a month or two”. — Bernama