Beware of Contraflow Dangers During Lebaran Exodus, Accident Risk High

Jakarta — The government has implemented traffic engineering measures in the form of contraflow during the 2026 Lebaran exodus beginning Tuesday, 17 March. Whilst this scheme aims to facilitate traffic flow, it carries higher accident risks if not properly anticipated and managed.

The policy was established through a joint decision letter from the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Public Works, and the National Traffic Police Command (Korlantas Polri). This arrangement was implemented to maintain safety, security, and traffic fluency during the Lebaran transport period.

The contraflow will be applied on the Jakarta–Cikampek toll section from 17 March 2026 at 14:00 WIB until 20 March 2026 at 24:00 WIB. Implementation will continue on 21 March from 12:00–20:00 WIB and on 22 March from 09:00–18:00 WIB.

However, Sony Susmana, Training Director of Safety Defensive Consultant Indonesia (SDCI), has cautioned that contraflow lanes present significantly higher danger levels compared to normal conditions.

“Contraflow is more hazardous because a single lane is modified to operate in two directions with non-static barriers,” Sony told Kompas.com on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.

“This creates danger because average speeds remain high. Therefore, drivers need to maintain focus on what are relatively lengthy toll sections,” he said.

Consequently, drivers are urged to exercise greater caution by reducing speed, maintaining safe distances, and not overexerting themselves when fatigued. Discipline and concentration are essential to ensure the exodus journey remains safe until reaching one’s destination.