Two road deaths within every 48 hours
Nadira Gunatilleke
Two persons die in Sri Lanka every 48 hours from road accidents,
Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said. “It used to be bomb victims
that filled up accident wards and now it’s victims of road accidents.
The accepted time ceiling a motorist can drive non stop is four hours.
In Sri Lanka some drive for over 24 hours without a break,” he said.
Addressing a press briefing at the Health Ministry in connection with
declaring ‘Global Road Safety Week’ to be held from May 6 to 12
countrywide under the theme ‘Let’s Ensure Pedestrian Safety’ Minister
Sirisena said due to the need for claiming overtime, the load of work,
employer pressure etc Sri Lankan drivers drive for over 24 hours
continuously which is very dangerous for them and other road users.
Minister Sirisena said the United Nations declared 2011-2020 as
‘Global Road Safety Decade’.
“It is the responsibility of passengers to be alert and guide the
driver safely to the destination without pressurizing him to drive
faster or without taking a break. Some youths try to impress when at the
wheel and meet with accidents. Drivers also take liquor and drive,” he
said. Senior Minister and former Health Minister P Dayaratne said there
is no significant increase in road accidents when comparing with the
figures between 2011 and 2012.
Last year, 525,000 new vehicles were added to roads. The road network
in the country were modified enabling drivers to drive fast. In 2011,
2,600 road deaths were reported and the number of road deaths reported
last year was 2,300. In 2010, 2,400 people died from road accidents, he
said. Dayaratne pointed out the importance of strengthening laws and
empowering the National Council on Road Safety to minimise accident
related deaths and accidents.
About five or six accidental deaths are reported daily and 30 to 35
percent are pedestrians. Colombo records the highest number of road
accidents. Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayatilleke and Health
Services Director General Dr. Palitha Mahipala also spoke.
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