Malaysia is the host of the International Crashworthiness Conference 2014 (ICRASH 2014) which is a first. Previous hosts were Melbourne, London and Kyoto. The conference tackled road accident and road safety in the region. The conference commenced on August 25 and culminated on 28 August 28 2014. The venue is in Riverside Majestic Hotel.

The conference started by highlighting number of road deaths in Southeast Asia. According to the World Health Organization, Thailand has the highest number of road deaths gathering 38.1 deaths out of 100,000. Thailand is followed by Malaysia with 25 deaths out of 100,000. In the region, Singapore is the safest road use nation.

Singapore only recorded 5.1 deaths out of 100,000 people. The efforts of the government to keep road users safe paid off. Going back to the ICRASH 2014, the regional average of road deaths is 17.91 out of 100,000. The figures were alarming so the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) gave a statement saying that road accidents are more of attitude than infrastructure.

The director general of MIROS Professor Wong Shaw Voon said that many road victims were men than women. Road users would break the law and if accidents happen, they blame it on the environment or the infrastructure. There are even others who think that road accidents or deaths are destined. This kind of thinking or attitude is wrong.

The point here is safety. Road users should practice and observe preventive measures to be safe. If you are on the road, it pays to be vigilant and slow down. Remember that the faster you travel, the higher the risk of accident.

Riot is unusual here in Singapore but on the night of December 8, 2013, a riot broke out at Little India. The peacefulness and the security were threatened for a moment but the police quickly contained the aggression before many people get hurt. Investigations are ongoing but as of December 20, 2013, about fifty three workers who joined the riot were repatriated. These people can kiss their Singapore dream goodbye because they are no longer welcome here. 

The riot was purely unexpected but the crisis was dealt finely. The government is assuring the public that it will not happen again. Meanwhile, alcohols are closely monitored by the government in Little India. You can rest peacefully now knowing that precautions are taken but you should know what to do if it will burst out again. If your family is in a crowd of rioters, you should know what to do so you can survive it together. Here are some survival tips that you can consider:

• Think of the exit plan: If you bring your family in a public gathering, you should think of the exit plan. Do this as a precaution so when riot burst out, you can proceed with the exit plan. Do not wait for the riot to commence before thinking of the exit plan.
• Pay attention: You have to be aware of your environment whenever you are out especially if you have the family with you. You need to pay attention to the norm and the things around you. You should listen to that uneasy feeling because it might save you and your family.
• Train the family: You have to train your family how to react or respond if riots should happen. You should teach your family members to identify and recognize a riot. You have to brief the whole family of the things to do so they can survive it all.
• Set up meeting places: You should also discuss about your meeting place. In the event of the separation of other family members, they can still find their way to you because you discussed about the meeting place. Just make sure they know where that place is.

If despite your best efforts you are still caught in the mob, you need another set of plan so you can survive it. You can go with the flow but never join the aggression or violence. It would be safer if you put your back to a wall. Looking for a wall will benefit you because it will keep you away from the mob and it will decrease your vulnerabilities and injuries.