Negri Sembilan Truck Operators Association (NSLOA) treasurer Alvin Loke said containers transported by a truck must be secured with a twist lock at each corner to ensure they do not slip or slide during heavy braking or of accidents.

However, he claimed that there have been drivers who do not do this because a heavy load can cause their trucks to tilt while crossing sharp curves or during accidents.

“Apparently these drivers are doing this to avoid getting trapped in their cabs if their trailers fall over. Some drivers secure the containers with only two locks, and sometimes not at all.

“By not securing containers with twist locks, the container ends up sliding off the cart and falling onto the road, leaving the truck unharmed.

“However, while a lorry driver may think this will keep them safe, it will endanger other drivers if the container falls and crushes other vehicles,” he said.

Loke said NSLOA, which is affiliated to the Malaysian Trucking Federation (MTF), has advised its members to secure all locks on their container trucks.

PSM Lorry Drivers Association committee member Victor Pereira also claimed that there have been cases of lorry drivers carrying containers that are not fully secured.

Apart from the fear for their safety during an accident, drivers do not secure the containers so that they can unload the containers faster.

“Often trailer drivers doing short trips don’t bother to secure containers with locks as there are times when these devices get stuck during unloading.

“When this happens, the crane lifting the container can end up lifting the trailer as well. Releasing a twist lock can be time consuming.

“Therefore, to avoid this inconvenience, drivers may choose not to secure the container with twist locks.

“It can only lock two of the four locks, or eight locks for larger containers. This is dangerous,” he added.