Safety first on Expressway

The Southern Expressway completes its first month in operation on Tuesday. Thousands of vehicles have passed through its toll gates at either end (Pinnaduwa and Kottawa) and the six interchanges in between.

The Road Development Authority (RDA) has already earned millions of rupees from the toll revenues. The expressway is due to be extended to Matara and eventually to Hambantota’s new international airport at Mattala.

Driving on an expressway is a whole new ballgame. Only a few Sri Lankans have previous experience driving on expressways, mainly those who have lived abroad. For all others, driving at 100 Km/h on an expressway is a new experience. This is why they need to be extra careful when driving on the Expressway.

Having used the expressway on several journeys, I thought it would be fitting to share some salient points with our readers. First things first – your vehicle must be in a top-notch condition. Check your tyres first. If you are one of those people who virtually run the tyre to its last canvas cover, do not even think about taking the vehicle on the expressway. In short, do not take the highway with worn-out tyres. Replace them if you have to.

If your tyres are in a good condition, check the tyre pressure, including the spare. If the pressure is low, fill up with air or nitrogen as the case may be, before you enter the toll gate.

It pays to check the fuel level as well. It is better to fill up your tank completely before you go. If by any chance your fuel indicator is not working, it is essential that you fill up.

The following check list applies to any journey, not just those on the expressway. Check your radiator coolant level (there were reports of cars stalling on the expressway with overheated engines), windscreen washer fluid level, wipers, indicator lights, main lights, engine oil/brake fluid level, brakes, mirrors, shutters, battery fluid level etc. In any case, the windscreen and rear windscreen must be absolutely clear and clean. If your car is due for service or repair, do that first before undertaking a journey on the expressway.

If your car battery is on its last legs, install a new one. By the way, if your licence is only a few months old, stay clear of the expressway until you gain more experience. If you are driving on the expressway for the very first time, try to travel with a passenger who may see things that you may not.

It pays to keep an eye on the speedometer intermittently because it is very, very easy to exceed the speed limit of 100 Km/h without even knowing. This is easy on cars with cruise control, where you can select 100 Km/h as the maximum speed and let the car do the rest, but you have to be extra careful if there is no cruise control.

You are supposed to drive on the outer lane, which is the one closest to the hard shoulder. Enter the other lane only if you have to overtake and do that very, very carefully. Check all mirrors and put your right turn indicator light on before turning to the overtaking lane. If you stall or break down, pull over to the emergency lane and call 1969.

Although I have not been on the expressway during rain, commonsense dictates that a 100 Km/h speed is imprudent in such circumstances. Seventy or 80 Km/h seems ample. This brings us to the question of having electronic signage, which is not yet present on the Southern Expressway. We have seen electronic messages being relayed by RDA vehicles, but that is not a very practical solution.

Electronic signboards should be erected at suitable places, so that drivers could be given instructions on reducing speed and informed of accidents, delays etc.

Motorists must also be extra cautious when driving at night on the Expressway. Vehicles with only one working light (believe me, there are many of them on our roads) must not be allowed on the expressway. Do check your normal and high beams and adjust if needed. Remember that only interchange sections are lit at the moment and there are dark stretches on which your driving skills will be tested to the limit. And, do not drive on the expressway at night if you are feeling drowsy or sleepy (that goes for any road).

We also hope that the authorities will find a solution soon for the presence of dogs and other animals on the expressway, which is a potential cause for accidents. It is human nature to apply the brakes when one sees an animal on the road, but this could have disastrous consequences at this speed.

One more thing – it is better to have a prior idea of your exit interchange and exact change for the toll which makes it easy for the RDA cashier. It will also save several minutes for you. Having said that, most people know only the toll from Kottawa to Pinnaduwa for their category of vehicle.

The authorities should publish a fare table showing the applicable fare combinations for all the interchanges.

We also hope the authorities would introduce the proposed season ticket for regular users of the expressway and the Electronic Toll Collection system soon.

The latter will also benefit RDA cashiers as they do not have to scramble for balance money. I observed that the cashiers have to get out of the booths to collect tickets and hand over the balance, if any, which is inefficient to say the least.

The booths should be set up in such a way that they continue to be seated during the entire transaction, as seen in many commercially-operated car parks here and abroad.

Driving on the scenic expressway is a very enjoyable experience if you follow all road rules including those specific to the expressway. Remember, safety comes first, not speed per se. Saving time is important, but saving your life and that of your loved ones is even more important. Bon Voyage!