Modern cameras to record traffic accidents

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

The Police Department will import modern cameras to record photographs of vehicles involved in traffic accidents and victims who sustain grave injuries due to such accidents, Police Media Spokesman SP Ajith Rohana told the Sunday Observer.

The imported cameras will be given to all traffic branches of police stations throughout the country. “It has become necessary to gather evidence by using modern technology such as cameras and video tapes following the increased number of accidents on the highways.”

Evidence gathered by using cameras and computers are now admissible as corroborative evidence in Courts under the amended law, (Act No 14 of 1995).

He said 89 schoolchildren were injured in traffic accidents this year and most of them had been travelling in school vans.

Of the 13 schoolchildren involved in an accident at Nittambuwa on Thursday, three children died of injuries while the others are being treated at the hospital.

The horrific accident occurred when a private bus ploughed into a van transporting schoolchildren to schools in Colombo.

The total number of accidents reported this year was 21,506. Over 1,363 persons were injured in these accidents.