Caltex launch road safety campaign

Around 790 fatal road accidents have been reported since January 1 this year said SSP K. Arasaratnam while addressing a ceremony to launch the Caltex Road Safety campaign on Wednesday.

He said that around 110 accidents take place daily of which five to seven are fatal accidents.A fatal accident is reported every four hours.

"Speed, drunk driving, overtaking, sudden turning, carelessness of pedestrians,un-roadworthy vehicles and fatigue of drivers are some of the main reasons for accidents in the countrty", he said.

Arasaratnam said that adherence to road rules, the use of seat-belts, the use of helmets and limiting the number of passengers in three-wheelers will be strictly followed to reduce the number of accidents which is increasing daily.

"Programs such as the Caltex Roadshow will help create awareness and reduce the number of accidents in the country. The Traffic Department has launched an islandswide program to educate youth in schools of the importance of observing road rules as a precaution to fatal accidents", the SSP said.

According to the Sri Lanka Traffic Police around 746 pedestrian deaths take place a year, and daily two deaths. Around 9414 motor cycle accidents are reported a year and 26 per day.The number of accidents due to speeding per year is 5485 and 15 per day.The number of accidents due to drunk driving per year is 2211 and per day is six.

National Hospital Director, Accident Services Dr. U.P. Ariyawansa said that a large sum of money is spent daily on patients in intensive care units due to fatal accidents which could be minimised if road rules are adhered to properly.

He said that around 1.4 million people die annually due to fatal accidents and around 2,500 people die a year in Sri Lanka.

Chevron Lubricants Lanka PLC launched its new joint project with the Sri Lanka Traffic Police under the campaign moto 'Drive Wise and Embrace Life'. The campaign was conceptualised by the company following the previous campaign 'Caltex Road Star'. - LF