Road accidents on the increase:

The crash that rocked Mount Lavinia

Many woke with a start from their beds last Wednesday on hearing about the accident involving a van transporting schoolchildren to Colombo from Panadura. The terrible accident occurred on Galle road opposite the Odeon Theatre around 6.30. a.m.

The school van driven at an excessive speed trying to overtake a trishaw ploughed into a bus which was plying on the left side of the road towards Mount Lavinia. The van driver was on the fourth lane of the road when it collided with a bus driven from the opposite direction. The impact was so severe that the roof of the van ripped off and reduced to matchwood injuring several schoolchildren in the van.

Rescue

According to the police, children between 8-14 were trapped inside the vehicle until the public came to their rescue and despatched them to hospital.

The accident sent shock waves to panic stricken parents who rushed to the spot and thereafter to the Colombo South Teaching Hospital at Kalubowila on hearing that the injured were rushed there. It was a miracle that children did not succumb to the injuries despite the horrible nature of the accident. They were on their way to schools at Thurstan, Ananda, Nalanda, Visakha, Gothami and St. Lawrence.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed IGP N.K. Illangakoon to look into the issue of private vans that transport schoolchildren back and forth from their homes and to keep a tab on them. Accordingly IGP will formulate a scheme to monitor the school van service, according to the Police Media Spokesman, SP, Ajith Rohana.

Accident

The Sunday Observer on hearing about the accident contacted the Director of the Colombo South Teaching Hospital at Kalubowila Dr. Anil Jasinghe who said that eight schoolchildren with injuries were admitted to hospital.

Of the eight children four were discharged after receiving treatment while two girls and two boys with injuries were admitted for further treatment.

One student who sustained head injuries is undergoing CT Scanning and is kept under observation while another student has undergone surgery. Two other students are being treated for head and chest injuries, he said.

The driver of the school van was treated for injuries at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital and was discharged. Upon his discharge he was taken into custody by the Mount Lavinia Police on several charges including driving the vehicle in a reckless manner and for causing an accident.

The suspect van driver was produced before the Mount Lavinia Magistrate who suspended his driving licence and remanded him for 14 days pending further investigations.

According to Police Media Spokesman, Superintendent of Police Ajith Rohana, the van driver may have driven the vehicle at a speed exceeding 80 miles per hour totally losing control of the vehicle. “He was a newcomer to the job only with seven months' driving experience,” he said. An injured student said the van driver had raced along with another van on Galle road before colliding with a bus.

Kataragama

Anumber of accidents was reported last week. A cab plying on Kataragama Tissamaharama Road last Tuesday knocked down a pedestrian near the Gam Udawa clock tower killing him on the spot.

The victim has been identified as Balagamage Anura (39), a resident of Kataragama. The cab driver who sustained injuries was admitted to the Kataragama hospital.

On January 16 around 4.15 p.m. a lorry proceeding towards Negombo collided with a motorcycle travelling towards Mirigama at the Welekade junction. The injured motorcyclist who was admitted to the Athgama hospital succumbed to his injuries.

The victim was identified as Amila Ruwan Weerasinghe (23) a resident of Kadigamuwa. The lorry driver was taken into custody by the police. On January 12 around 10 a.m. near the Sinhakade at Sooriyawewa road, a woman travelling in a bus towards Sandalankawa fell off the bus and sustained serious injuries.

She was admitted to the Sooriyawewa hospital and later transferred to the Hambantota hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. The victim was identified as D. Wimalawathie (39), a resident of Mee-Ella.

A motorcyclist riding on the Thelewela Road knocked against a lamp post and was later run over by a bus plying towards Ratmalana.

The critically injured rider was admitted to the Colombo South Teaching hospital at Kalubovila where he succumbed to his injuries. The deceased has been identified as Gamini Silva (45), a resident of Thelawela. The Mount Lavinia police have taken the bus driver into custody.

Motor accidents reached a peak last year with 37,000 reported cases. What is alarming was 2,500 people were killed and 600 of them sustained grievous injuries, according to the Police Media Spokesman, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajith Rohana.

He said 12,000 people suffered injuries and the damage caused to vehicles were in the range of millions of rupees. “Many fatal motor accidents were due to over speeding, driving under the influence of liquor, not adhering to road rules and due to negligence.”

The spokesman said private coaches transporting office workers were also involved in several accidents who were trying to keep to deadlines. Jay walking on roads have also contributed to fatal accidents especially when passengers do not use pedestrian crossings.

He said police have cautioned motorists to follow guidelines to avoid accidents.(1) To wear seat belts. (2) To keep to the correct side of the road lane (3) To be extra cautious while driving in rainy weather and when there is heavy fog. (4) Not overtake other vehicles at double road bends and at blind spots. (5) Not to watch television while driving.

Before setting out, motorists should also check the condition of signal lights, wipers, and brakes. Thirty-six speeding cases were detected last month on the Southern expressway.

Additional policemen have been detailed at the eight entry points at the Southern Highway to detect motorists driving under the influence of liquor and for over speeding.

Police said six people die every day on our highways due to fatal accidents while 85 percent of accidents occur due to the carelessness of drivers. Each day 100-150 road accidents occur of which 45 percent are serious.

Two years ago the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) sleuths arrested a 63 year old school van driver from Kadawatha for sexually molesting a pre school child aged three years in the school van. Following a tip off the van driver was arrested at Narahenpita while he was transporting schoolchildren home.

Following the shocking disclosure the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) warned parents to keep an eye on school children who travel to and from their homes in hired passenger vans without a guardian.

The Police Media Spokesman said school vans that transport children will come under scrutiny in the future. “A methodology will be devised soon to keep a tab on them in the future,” he said.