Archives

Increase in road deaths due to unfit drivers - IMPA President

by Florence Wickramage

The alarming increase in the number of deaths caused by motor traffic accidents have become a very serious national problem. Most of these accidents have been caused by medically unfit drivers, says Dr. S.L.G. Jayasuriya, President of the Independent Medical Practitioners Association of Sri Lanka (IMPA). Well over 52,000 and about 2,000 road users die annually on our roads. On an average five to six persons die a day with 60 to 65 people suffering from injuries.

According to statistics the country today has a vehicle population of over 1.8 million with the drivers licence holders at 8 million. About 90,000 vehicles are registered annually and about 100,000 driving licences are issued every year.

It has been observed that most road accidents are caused mainly through negligence or incompetence of drivers, many of whom were found medically 'unfit' at the time of the accident. The present driving licences could be as old as 50 to 60 years. Both private and commercial vehicles contribute to road accidents.

Jayasuriya said that there has been an increase of fitness medical certificates being issued to `unfit drivers' by corrupt medical officers, especially for commercial vehicles issued in the provinces. Laxity of law enforcement, inadequacy of punishments for fatal accidents caused, non renewable licences over specified periods of time are among other causes.

In order to discuss this serious national problem the IMPA has scheduled a panel discussion to be held shortly with the Chief Medical Officer of the Transport Commission as principal speaker together with other expert panel members. The Director in-charge of the accident service of the Colombo National Hospital, the Commissioner of Motor Traffic, the DIG Traffic, and the Chief Judicial Medical Officer, Colombo will be present.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager