Speed fiends beware

Irangika Range

New speed limit regulations for motor vehicles recently passed by Parliament will be strictly enforced from this year to minimise the rising trend of road accidents.

Transport Minister Kumara Welgama said stringent new laws have been introduced to crackdown on traffic law violators. The Police have been instructed to apply these laws strictly against offenders, he said.

The minister said road accidents cause the most number of deaths each year in Sri Lanka.

Each year, over 40,887 road accidents occur in Sri Lanka, causing six fatalities every day. The objective of these new regulations is to prevent road accidents and to create a disciplined set of drivers, Welgama said.

Nearly 9,000 accidents involving motor cars and vans occur each year with over 5,400 accidents caused due to speeding. Over 740 pedestrians die every year, recording two pedestrian deaths per day, he said. The minister said the Gazette notification has been issued defining speed limits on all roads in Sri Lanka.

The speed limits are given for different roads in different parts of the city depending on the condition of the roads, as well as peed limits for populated areas, Welgama said.

According to the Gazette notification, speed limits which are dictated by the RDA are classified as A, B, C, D and E. Under A and B, the speed limit for light vehicles, including cars and motorcycles is 50 kmph in built up areas including the Colombo city.

The term built up refers to towns surrounded by buildings. The speed limit for heavy vehicles is 50 kmph and 40 kmph for land vehicles including tractors.

In the non-built up areas, the speed limit for cars and vans will be 70 Kmph and for motor coaches and lorries 60 Kmph.

Meanwhile, the Road Development Authority has begun fixing sign boards indicating speed limits covering the entire country. The speed limit boards will specify the location where a particular speed limit are in operation.

These new regulations would help effectively curb the number of traffic accidents, traffic related offenses, as well as create a greater awareness of traffic laws by motorists.