Monday’s multi-vehicle pileup resulted from a heavily loaded truck in the right-hand lane, which is not designated for use by freight vehicles. The driver lost control of the truck when he experienced brake failure while driving at high speed down a wet, steep slope.

Unfortunately, the truck driver was unable to use the emergency lane near the site of the accident because he was driving in the right-hand lane, and his truck ended up plowing into the cars ahead, stuck in traffic after heavy rainfall.

A 14-year-old girl was killed and 29 people were injured in the devastating incident, the fourth deadly crash to occur on the KM 91-92 stretch of the Cipularang Toll Road, which has claimed 12 lives in the past five years. Most accidents were caused by overloaded trucks losing control while descending the steep slope along this particular section.

Experts have suggested that no overloaded truck should be allowed on roads in the first place, in accordance with the existing rules, but this provision has fallen on the deaf ears of certain logistics companies that tend to skimp on operating costs. On the other hand, monitoring from relevant authorities is absent due to ignorance, negligence or bribery.

To add insult to injury, many truckers toil under poor working conditions for extremely low wage, with little to no insurance. Most truck drivers bring home only Rp 500,000 (US$31.45) per week, or around Rp 2 million a month, less than half the minimum wage in Jakarta.

As a result, trucking companies struggle to find drivers, let alone competent ones. In addition, the industry’s wage system is based on the duration drivers spend on the road, which leads to overwork. It is also not uncommon for truckers to take micro naps or to momentarily doze off at the wheel, which often results in a fatal accident.

Earlier this month, another deadly crash involving a heavy goods vehicle and a minibus belonging to private television station tvOne occurred on the Pemalang-Batang toll road, also in Central Java. Three tvOne employees died at the scene after the truck hit the minibus they were in as their driver stopped on the shoulder to clean the fogged up windshield.

The police arrested the truck driver, identified only as J, whom they suspect had fallen asleep.

In fatal road incidents like this, the legal process often ends with the truck driver suspected of wrongdoing without touching the logistics company, which might have contributed to the accident through lack of oversight and other internal issues. These cases generally avoid a thorough evaluation of the driver’s employer and therefore, their outcome does not provide a deterrent effect.

Ultimately, there is a pressing need for a radical change in the monitoring and management of our logistics and land transportation sectors. The latest Cipularang road tragedy should serve as an occasion for the newly installed government to spearhead the necessary reforms, which will require tighter coordination between state institutions, including the Transportation Ministry, logistics agencies and law enforcement.

As the government moves to transform the logistics industry toward higher safety and health standards, other road users might find this basic tip useful: Keep minimum safe distance from freight trucks or just stay away from them altogether while on the road to protect your and your loved ones’ lives.