Negligent driving, mobile phones, cause for most accidents

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The City Traffic Police has focused attention on the increasing number of vehicle accidents reported from all parts of the country and said that the use of mobile phones by motorists while at the wheel was one of the major reasons for highway accidents.

According to City Traffic Police, SSP Chula de Silva nearly 200 drivers are detained every month for using mobile phones while driving.

SSP de Silva said that most highway accidents take place due to the negligence of not only motorists who use mobile phones while driving, but also people who walk on rail tracks. About six young persons died last year while using mobile phones when walking on rail tracks.

A young woman who used a mobile phone while walking on a railway track last week at Hatton had a brush with death when the Badulla bound train from Colombo missed her narrowly. According to an eye witness, the woman did not hear the sound of the oncoming train as she was using her mobile phone while walking on the track.

According to the police many vehicle accidents also occur due to the negligence of drivers who doze at the wheel on long durations without any rest.The Kosgoda police said that in another incident a bus and a van collided at Kosgoda in Avissawella killing six people on the spot and injuring eight others.

The van driver who approached from the wrong direction would have fallen asleep at the wheel

SSP de Silva called upon all motorists, especially bus and lorry drivers carrying heavyloads to park their vehicles by the side of the road at least for a few minutes and rest for a while when driving long distances to avoid accidents. The police have also taken steps to nab drivers who are under the influence of liquor.