More fatal road accidents

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

Several persons have been killed on our highways during the past few weeks following motor accidents according to media reports from the Police Media Division. The victims include pedestrians, motor cycle riders, schoolchildren, and women pillion riders. Hardly a day goes by without something tragic on our highways being reported in our newspapers. These accidents have been reported from all corners of the country.

A senior police officer who spoke to the Sunday Observer on conditions of anonymity said speeding, reckless driving, irresponsible behaviour and negligence of drivers have all contributed to the fatalities on our highways.

A tragic accident that shocked most of us was reported from Moragahamulla, Sigiriya. Two foreign women standing beside a parked private bus near the Sigiriya rock were run over and crushed to death when the conductor attempted to drive the bus. The bus raced forward and having mowed down the tourists, veered off the road and came to a standstill.

The injured women tourists were rushed to the Dambulla Hospital where they were pronounced dead. The tragic incident occurred around 5 p.m. last Wednesday.The deceased were identified as Pusok Harr (46), a Chinese, and Theo Shri Mai of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The autopsy was held at the Matale Hospital. Both the driver and conductor of the bus have been taken into custody by Sigiriya police.