Parking at the highway R&R’s not safe anymore

How Highway Rest Areas have become dangerous to drivers. This advice and warning has just come in. All north-south highway users who are planning to stop at any R&R to use the restrooms, eat, rest or pray please take note that it is not advisable to leave your vehicle unattended while parked.

If you do stop, take turns with your passengers for prayer, toilet break and food with your other passengers (if you are driving alone, then try and park in a very visible area or at the petrol station at least). There are many cases where vehicles are tampered with, and then the vehicle breaks down after leaving the R&R area.

If you are driving alone……try and park where there are a lot of people or where you can see your vehicle.

Last week there were more than 10 cases reported and the typical damages include:

1. Engine over-heating where that criminals have drained the engine oil and so you get engine damage
2. Loss of brake pressure as the brake fluid has been drained.
3. Clutch oil drained.
4. Power steering oil drained.
5. Radiator fluid/coolant drained and vehicle overheats.

All this will happen when you continue your drive. You would then have to stop along the highway and seek help and you would be too far away from the R&R where you stopped earlier.

• Then in a short period of time, one car will stop to offer help (usually a mechanic) who will quickly determine your problem. For example, if your car engine overheats, he will show you the leaking tank hoses and so on depending on the “problem”.

• This message is to alert all highway users of the deliberate acts of the syndicates. He will deliberately damage the vehicles that are parked at the R&R.

• He will follow the damaged vehicle when the driver resumes the journey.

• When the damage occurs, he will offer help such as towing to his workshop where the vehicle will be dismantled for parts and incurring thousands of ringgit in repairs.

This is very serious.

PLUS highway is taking action with auxiliary police (in plain clothes) patrolling the highways and all their R&R but they have yet to stop the syndicate’s activities because there are many groups and they are always on the move.

Advice from PLUS Highway:

• avoid stopping along the highway if possible.
• if you have to, make sure someone stays inside the vehicle with doors locked