Prof. Dr. Ir. Sutanto Soehodho, M.Eng., professor of transportation from the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), gave several suggestions for travellers. As at every Eid al-Fitr, it has become a tradition for Indonesian people to return to their hometowns or homecoming in droves. For this reason, preparations need to be made to create safe and comfortable trips, because a surge in the number of travellers can trigger an increase in traffic accident cases, especially on the “skull routes.”
According to Prof. Sutanto, ‘skull lane’ is a general term that is very well understood by the public to refer to roads with a high intensity of accidents. “In transportation engineering or transportation science, we refer to the path of the skull as a black spot, technically it means an area that is prone to accidents.”
He further said that road design is also quite influential in encouraging accidents with high intensity on a road section. The runway structure is the main consideration, on the other hand, bends, inclines and descents are also things that the driver needs to pay attention to while driving. Therefore, the design of roads in accident-prone areas needs special attention from relevant agencies, such as the Public Works and Public Housing Agency (PUPR) and the local Transportation Agency (Dishub).
The skull lane itself can be a piece of road or a long section of road with a higher intensity of accidents compared to roads in general. Based on the definition previously mentioned, the distribution points of the skull route in Indonesia cover various types of roads including ‘roads outside the city’ or even roads in rural areas which are relatively simpler.
This is very likely to happen because the main indicator in calling a black spot is the intensity of the accident, not the location of the road. “So it is quite difficult to say where the points of this skull path are, some of them may be not popular,” said Prof. Sutanto.
Meanwhile, he said, three elements have the potential to cause accidents in the skull pathway, namely humans, vehicles and the natural environment. Drivers who drive in conditions that are not prime are at risk if they take long trips — such as going home for Eid. Also, the physical condition of the vehicle which has been neglected for years certainly has the potential to increase this risk. The last element that is no less important is the natural environment which is often not well recognized by drivers.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) has noted that the most important element that has the potential to cause accidents is humans, more than 90% of accidents are caused by this element,” said Prof. Sutanto. Therefore, several things need to be prepared by the driver before driving, such as being accompanied by a co-driver and taking time to rest during long trips.
Another thing to note is to make sure the vehicle is in prime condition. Those that need to be checked include oil, engine, lights, gasoline, and brakes. The brake factor is the thing that most often causes accidents on the skull track — especially around sharp climbs and descents. Then, recognize the road environment, because it will help drivers pass the skull path.
In addition, the government’s role can be maximized in anticipating accidents on the skull track. In this case, the active role of the Transportation Agency is needed by drivers in inform road sections that are prone to accidents.
Meanwhile, the local police also need to be involved in preventing accidents on the skull path. On the other hand, Prof. Sutanto, who is an advisory member of the Indonesian Transportation Society and a member of the Jakarta City Transportation Council (2023-2026 period), gave high appreciation to the police who continued to carry out their duties in regulating traffic, even in an Eid atmosphere.
“I advise fellow travellers to be patient or postpone their homecoming trip after Eid for example. Meanwhile, if you have planned your Eid homecoming earlier, you are encouraged to prepare yourself in prime condition for long-distance travel, the physical condition of the vehicle and the environment around the roads also need to be considered carefully,” said Prof. Sutanto, is also the Chair of the Transportation Science Group.
Met on a separate occasion, the Dean of FTUI, Prof. Dr. Heri Hermansyah, ST., M.Eng., IPU said, “For travellers, in addition to paying attention to road conditions, they also need to pay attention to body conditions. A tired body after driving for several hours can result in decreased concentration and ability to make decisions on the road. Travellers You can take turns with the co-driver (if there is one) or take the time to rest for a while until your body is fresh again to continue your journey. We hope that FTUI academic community members who are going home can return to campus in good health and fit.”
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Bureau of Public Communications
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia