Commenting on the third fatal road accident involving an underage or unlicensed young motorist, Lee told FMT that parents must have control over their children.

There were also parents who allow their children to ride motorcycles even though they are underage. Parents had a responsibility to ensure this did not happen, said Lee, who is chairman of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research.

“On one hand, we do need to step up enforcement, but in truth, it will never be enough. A lot still depends on parents, they must keep a tight rein over their children.”

Lee said sometimes parents were not even aware that their children would sneak over to a friend’s house and use the vehicles of their friend’s parents.

He also advised parents to ensure their children did not have easy access to their car or motorcycle keys.

Yesterday the New Straits Times reported that Muhammad Azrie Zamri, 11, died after falling off a motorcycle that he was riding in Kluang, Johor.

Another boy, 12-year-old Muhammad Wafie Samsuddin, was killed after a taxi hit his motorcycle at Km73 Jalan Johor Baru-Ayer Hitam on the first day of Hari Raya, while teenageres Muhammad Nabil Fahmi Bakhtiar, 17; Basrie Bunawan, 19; and Mohamad Nor Fitri Mohamad Sabtu, 19; died when their car crashed into a tree at Km32 Jalan Yong Peng.

The driver also did not have a driving licence.