Stern action sought against reckless drivers

by Ananda Kannangara

According to the traffic police, more than 23 persons including seven children were killed due to reckless driving last month.

When the Sunday Observer interviewed the public on this crucial issue, a police officer who is attached to a Sabaragamuwa Province police station, Nihal Kasturisinghe said that many accidents in the city were caused by the heavy traffic flow and wanted the Government to convert State land located outside the city into vehicle parks.

“Thereafter, the police should allow all vehicle owners other than those of buses, passenger vans and motorcycles to park at their vehicles in car parks, so that even minor accidents can be minimised to a greater extent,”

Bank Executive, Sumanasiri Palihakkara of Ragama asked the Government to crack down on reckless drivers and cancel their vehicle licences for at least one year. Quoting an example from Singapore where traffic law is strictly enforced on all irrespective of their positions, he said a Cabinet Minister was charged for overtaking a lorry.

“If our country too has a system like this, no one will violate highway rules and it will help to minimise road accidents”.

Teacher in an International school, Ranjani Aluthge of Dematagoda said “Before the flyover at Dematagoda was constructed, at least three accidents were reported every month, but after constructing it, not a single accident was reported.

“Therefore, I request the Road Development Authority to construct more flyovers at main junctions for the benefit of passengers”.

Ven. Talduwa Sirinivasa Thera wanted the police to deploy more officers at newly constructed highways in distant areas (not in Colombo), since many motorists are in the habit of driving on such roads at the speeds of 80 mph and 90 mph.

The Ven. Thera said if the speed limit is reduced to fifty mph, accidents could be minimised.

Vidyanjani Hapuge said that most road accidents occur not only due to reckless driving, but also due to the large number of vehicles running on our roads.

“When you look at the vehicles on certain highways today, even efficient drivers cannot control their vehicles and they are involved in numerous minor accidents”.

She therefore urged the Government to set up additional car parks outside the city limits and control the number of vehicles entering the city.

Assistant Superintendent of Police, Premalal Ranagala said “Although the police have taken every possible measure to reduce the accident rate, many motorists, especially bus drivers do not pay much attention.”

“Therefore we have now deployed additional officers at main junctions, road bends, near pedestrian crossings and main bus stands to crack down on errand motorists.

President, Private Bus Operators’ Association, Gemunu Wijeratne said that several road accidents were reported in the recent past due to reckless driving of both CTB and private buses and therefore he asked authorities to implement a combined service between CTB and private buses.

“If CTB and private buses run according to a time table, there will be no competition to take passengers,”. He said most accidents are reported due to this unnecessary racing among drivers.

Referring to a recent accident on Ratnapura Road at Avissawella, he said one pedestrian was killed due to a competition of a CTB and a private bus.

Private sector employee, Yasitha Madusanka of Kadawatha said that road accidents in our country mainly occur due to excessive vehicles on the roads.

He therefore urged the authorities to minimise vehicles entering the highways, especially in the Colombo city and the suburbs, so that, it will help to reduce road accidents to a greater extent.

Vehicle Driver, Chaminda Wijeratne said “Many road accidents are reported today due to the carelessness of majority private bus drivers and few CTB drivers”.

“As we know, private buses always try to take passengers even by overtaking other private buses and it is like a competition,”.

He therefore, urged the police to deploy police officers (in civvies) in buses, so that reckless drivers can be caught easily. Accountant, Kumar Rajaratnam of Kurunegala said he saw two schoolchildren falling off the footboard of a CTB bus recently, but, luckily they escaped with minor injuries. “Although this incident was seen by a Traffic policeman who was on duty at the Kurunegala junction, he did not take any action against the bus driver for overloading.

He therefore, requested the Transport Minister to take action against CTB drivers for overloading in order to minimise the sudden deaths of passengers. Grade nine student of Zahira College, Maradana Nizar Hassen wanted the police to stop long vehicles, lorries and other vehicles that are carrying containers during the peak hours in the mornings, afternoons and in the evenings.

Referring to a recent incident which occurred at Mt. Lavinia, where a young schoolboy was crushed to death after two granite boulders fell on to the vehicle in which he was travelling and said these types of heavy vehicles can cause fatal accidents.

“Therefore, I hope the Government will not permit such vehicles to run during peak hours in order to save the lives of people,”