Private buses deadlier

Irangika RANGE

During the first three months of this year, 238 Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLCTB) buses and 834 private buses were involved in road accidents, National Transport Commission (NTC) chairman Roshan Gunawardene said.

He said private bus drivers were involved in 63 fatal accidents, 163 serious accidents, 230 minor accidents and 378 accidents causing only property damage from January 1 to March 31.

"SLCTB bus drivers were responsible for 14 fatal accidents, 42 serious accidents, 54 minor accidents and 128 accidents causing only property damage for the first three months of this year," he said.

Gunawardena said road accidents caused by private buses and SLTB buses were 3,087 and 1,087 in 2011.

According to statistics, there is an increase in the number of private buses involved in road accidents compared to SLCTB buses. The NTC has initiated a series of workshops to be conducted district wise to educate private bus owners, drivers and conductors to minimise road accidents involving private buses. The first work shop was successfully conducted in the Nuwara Eliya district with the participation of nearly 250 private bus owners, drivers and conductors.

"We have planned to conduct the next workshop in Hambantota to educate and train private bus drivers on road safety, minimising road traffic accidents while providing an efficient and quality transport service to the public.