I am unaware of other instructor’s dilemma, personally, I am most worried with regards to the question of vehicle inspection.

You see, a driving school vehicle, has to undergo a mandatory 6 month inspection by the Puspakom authorities. As reiterated, this inspection gives me much worry and apprehension.

On the 1st September 2010, the vehicle that is presently used for providing tuition to my students was scheduled to undergo its 6 monthly inspection. For readers’ information, even though vehicles belong to the individual instructors such as car in actual fact all use the institute’s logo and business permits.

It is the individual instructors that are responsible to carry out inspections that are needed to be carried out by the Puspakom authorities. It should be reiterated here that a failure to send a vehicle for its scheduled inspection will incur a penalty of RM200 by the J.P.J. authorities.

Should it be necessary to postpone a scheduled inspection by Puspakom, permission should be obtained from the authorities concerned. And a new date for the next inspection should then be set.

As vehicle registration cards, Puspakom inspection records of previous examinations and so forth, are in the hands of the institutes concerned, a driving instructor should therefore liaise with the office concerned to get the necessary papers ready for forth coming inspection.

Besides the above papers and documents, it is also necessary to obtain:

i) A letter of authorization permitting the instructor to submit the vehicle for inspection to the Puspakom authorities on the institute’s behalf.

ii) The original vehicle registration card should also be brought along.
Are the above records, documents and authorization letters the only things which have to be brought along?

As a matter of fact, there are actually many other things which the instructor must do to his vehicle prior to its being sent for inspection.

As the vehicle owned by me is a manual version of a 1999 Kancil model, one of the oldest vehicles possessed by the institute, it therefore has to undergo lots of repairs to enable it to pass the stringent Puspakom test it has to undergo.

As a driving instructor since 1970, that is over 40 years in the driving school business, I need to own a car of my own to facilitate the running of my own enterprise.

In the beginning, I am very thankful to my close buddy and kampung friend, En. S, who runs a driving school of his own. When I needed to obtain a driving school vehicle in order to run my own driving school business, it was this special friend who came to my aid.

All the Chinese driving school operators in Klang district area would not agree to permit me to use their driving school permits. Failure to get a driving school entity to allow me the opportunity would have in actual fact resulted in my running of my part time driving school enterprise as an illegal driving school.

As a law abiding citizen and person, this wouldn’t do. As an instructor, who is now involved in the provision of providing driving tuition to potential students, I am fully aware of the danger of operating a driving school illegally. An illegally operated driving school entity is against J.P.J. rules and regulations.

Besides that, what is more important is, an illegally run business lacks amongst other the following things.

1) No insurance for students.

Students will be exposed to extreme dangers as they will not be provided with the necessary insurance coverage that is required by the Road Transport Department.

2) Bad learning vehicle condition.

Vehicles used to instruct student will fail to have the opportunity to undergo a compulsory 6 month inspection by the Puspakom authorities. This is dangerous.

In short, vehicle of illegally run driving school enterprises will be perpetually hounded by J.P.J. in the constant operations to track down illegally run driving school operators.

After reading this article on how a driving school should ideally be run or managed, it is hoped that readers will be able to possess a better comprehension of the correct way of running a driving school concern.

In an earlier article written pertaining to traffic offenses which drivers may have committed against the Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987 (A.P.J.), some of the offenses have been highlighted for your perusal.

In this article, I will again highlight 10 other offenses, albeit lesser important ones, which many drivers might not be aware of. The list is as follow.

1) Brake Not Functioning.

Many drivers may not be aware, but brakes not functioning represent an offense. Should you be involved in a serious accident, you can be rest assured that the Road Transport Authorities will require your vehicle to be sent for a checkup to determine the condition of your brakes.

Circular K.15 (9) MV (C/U) LN 170/59, that makes it mandatory for a vehicle’s brakes to be checked. Under Section 119 (2), an offender can be fined a sum of RM300.

2) Allowing passengers to alight or ascend a vehicle and in the process hampers traffic flow.

I am rather certain this is one offense many drivers are unaware of. In allowing passengers to alight, or for that matter ascend a vehicle, the driver should see to it his vehicle is parked close to the side of the road shoulder. Failure to do this will via Circular K16RTR get the driver a summons for RM200. The court, under Section 119 (2), can impose for the above sum to be enacted upon you.

3) Beating a traffic light.

This is a very common traffic offense committed by many drivers. Making a mention to it again is not a waste of time. Under Circular K17 and 18 TS (LN 167/59) cites a driver committing an offense. Again Section 119 (2) allows the court authorities to impose a fine of RM300 on you.

4) Side doors and back doors of a vehicle not being closed tightly.

This action is considered dangerous action committed by a driver. As such, a driver driving a car in such a condition can under Circular K22 RTR, charge a driver. And under Section 119 (2) again, a driver is likely to receive a RM300 fine for it.

5) Motorcycles not fitted with handle bar mirrors.

Not having both the right and the left handle bar mirrors is an offense in Malaysia. Action by the authorities on motorcycles is provided for by Circular 21 MV (C/U). The court judge can under Section 119 (2) can fine a motorcyclist a sum of RM100 for the offense.

6) Wipers which are not functioning.

I remember, a Datsun 120Y used for tutoring students way back in the 1970s was found to have infringed Circular 23 MV (C/U), and under Section 119 (2) of the R.T.O. 1987. I received a J.P.J. summons of RM150.

7) Horn not functioning well.

Are you aware that if during a road block, the authorities, be it the Police or J.P.J., should find that your car horns are not functioning, Circular K24 MV (C/U) can get you charged under Section 119 (2) for a sum of RM150.

8) Indicator or signals not working.

Indicators and signals should always be in working condition. The above not working is obviously an offense as Circular K25 (MV (C/U) says very vividly that you have contravene a traffic offense. Do you know that the court can very well imposed a RM150 fine on you?

9) Brake lights not functioning.

Circular 26 MV (C/U) says clearly that a driver has committed a traffic offense. And under Section 119 (2), a driver is liable to be fined a sum of RM150. All these are sad but nonetheless true.

10) No mud flaps on vehicle.

A car that is not fitted by mud flaps has committed an offense and the driver can likely be fined as much as RM150. Circular K31 MV (C/U) allows a driver to be cited for an offense. Section 119 (2) says you can be fined a sum of RM150 for it.

10 seem to be a rather nice figure. As such, I feel that it should stop temporarily for the time being, as too many examples may lead to some readers getting bored. Until that next time around, drive carefully!