Jaywalking, a risk to life and limb
By Kurulu Kariyakarawana
Motor accidents could occur due to many reasons-driver negligence,
unfavourable road conditions, unroadworthy vehicles as well as
insufficient display of road signs could be some of the main causes.
Although most of these instances are credited to the account of
motorists or motorcyclists, what cannot be ignored is the role played by
pedestrians. It has been identified that irresponsible behaviour on the
part of pedestrians also amounts to a large number of accidents today.
With the development of infrastructure and the town planning process,
much consideration is given to the development of the road network in
the city. Newly widened tarmac roads with spacious pavements and islands
supported by Signal Lighting Systems (SLS) and pedestrian crossings have
rendered a conducive environment for all road users to have a peaceful
journey with less accidents.
Numerous road signs displayed on every road and at vulnerable points
will help in lesser accidents for motorists but proper guidance on road
usage is an absolute necessity. All this would come to nought, if
pedestrians do not adhere to laws to maintain safe roads. According to
Traffic Police statistics at least six persons die in road- related
accidents on a daily basis and a person dies every four hours. Most of
the fatal accidents are those of pedestrians who are run over by
vehicles either on the pedestrian crossings or attempting to cross the
road from an unsecure point.
Over 59 accidents were reported throughout the country last year,
where 63 persons have been run over on the pedestrian crossings. the
startling revelation is that pedestrians have lost their lives while
using the Crossings . This is indeed an indictment on motorists and road
users.
Over 32 pedestrians lost their lives on the pedestrian crossings from
January 1 to date, while what is intriguing is that the number of lives
lost while pedestrians cross the roads from unsecured points is still
not accounted for. No statistics is available in this regard. It is
appalling to learn that such a large number of persons were killed on
the crossings because one would think that the crossings is the safest
spot to cross. But there is a reason for this too.
Director Traffic Police Headquarters SSP N A M Ranasinghe told the
Sunday Observer that most of these unfortunate accidents on the
pedestrian crossings occur due to negligence of the pedestrian itself.
It is essential for a pedestrian to use the crossing if there is one in
the vicinity. Crossing the road on a pedestrian crossing alone does not
mean that it is safe to do so without being cautious. Most pedestrians
nowadays are under the impression that the crossing and could be used at
their own disposal, without being vigilant.
Although most road rules are meant for motorists, there are certain
rules designated to pedestrians which are hardly followed. Unlike in
developed countries, local pedestrians have the notion that they are
above the law and no road rules apply to them. This is why pedestrians
are seen jaywalking disregarding road rules.
According to a special gazette notification of 18/444, there is a
rule that pedestrians cannot cross the road within 25 meters of a
pedestrian crossing. If a person crossed a road within this mentioned
stretch except on the crossings, that person can be charged. It is
illegal for a person to cross the road from an unsecure point, if there
is a pedestrian crossing in the vicinity. However, in stark contrast to
this law there is absolutely no mention if a person was to cross the
road in the event there was no pedestrian crossing in close proximity.
Although these laws are not new, many road users do not seem to be
familiar with the law. This is why the law enforcement authorities have
decided to monitor instances when the law is breached.
Even recently media reports revealed how a number of pedestrians were
brought before the law for violating road rules and jaywalking.
Additional number of Traffic Police officers have been deployed in
vulnerable positions in the city to monitor and apprehend offenders.
Close Circuit Television Cameras are fixed near almost every main
pedestrian crossing not only to monitor jaywalkers but also to identify
hit and run drivers who run over pedestrians on the crossing.
Pedestrians who violate these rules will be given a ticket by the
Traffic Police officer after seeking personal information of the
pedestrian such as his National Identity Card.
They will be asked to come for a special awareness program held every
Sunday at the Colombo Traffic Police Headquarters in the Pettah.
At the awareness program violators will be given a full training on
how to cross a road safely without breaching the law. And they will be
warned not to commit the same offence again as legal action would then
be taken.
If anyone fails to attend this awareness program for two consecutive
weeks they will be tried before a court of law. This law applies to
following signal lights on the crossings meant for pedestrians. If a
person fails to adhere to the signal lights while crossing, they too
will be dealt according to the law, SSP Ranasinghe said.
However, maintaining or breaching these laws are not that simple as
many pedestrians expressed concern about certain vulnerable Crossings in
Colombo. Using these Crossings prove to be a grave risk and has to be
done with utmost care due to the length of the crossing and its
location. Pedestrian crossings that run across recently made one -way
roads in the Fort, are twice the length of a regular road and there are
no islands in the centre of the wide road.
Therefore crossing these wide roads with at least four lanes of
traffic moving in one direction is extremely risky even on a Pedestrian
Crossing. Monstrously- driven private buses will scare the daylights of
vulnerable pedestrians by continuing to taunt them to cross the road.
Responding to this scenario SSP Ranasinghe said that the police have
identified several such vulnerable and high risk crossings such as the
recently constructed Pedestrian Crossing near the Lake House roundabout,
Hilton junction and the Telecom junction.
He pointed out the necessity to set up pedestrian overhead bridges at
these spots instead of the simple Crossing because of the complicated
movement of traffic.
He said that the Road Development Authority and the Colombo Municipal
Council were working together to introduce overhead bridge schemes where
necessary. A survey is being conducted by the Korean International
Cooperation Agency (KOICA) at present.
He also admitted the risk posed by the vehicles which pass the Lake
House roundabout that has been converted to a traffic light controlling
junction, which is not yet operating due to certain technical
complications. a large number of vehicles that come from three main
roads meet head on at this junction where motorists operate on their own
and at times a few policemen control traffic. Many pedestrians told the
Sunday Observer that it was a grave risk to use the lengthy Crossing at
this junction as there are neither traffic lights nor police officers to
assure safety.
It is learnt that the handling of traffic in these particular
locations are being done by the Colombo City Traffic Unit. When Director
Colombo City Traffic SSP Chula de Silva was contacted , he said that all
vulnerable points were manned by a sufficient number of Traffic Police
officers to ensure the safety of pedestrians as well as motorists.
However, it is the pedestrian's responsibility too to be cautious when
using the road and pavements that would help reduce the number of
accidents, he said.
There are a large number of Pedestrian Crossings compared to the
number on Colombo roads about a decade ago. All these Crossings were set
up to facilitate pedestrians, considering over 475, 000 vehicles
entering the city everyday, the SSP said. |