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Road accidents claim thousands of lives annually in SL: Motorcycle fatalities reach alarming rates
At least 12,000 people die in accidents in Sri Lanka annually, with a quarter of these deaths, which is around 3,000 being attributed to road accidents, Police said.
Director of the Traffic Administration and Road Safety Division DIG Indika Hapugoda said the statistics indicate an average of 7-8 fatalities daily due to road accidents.
Data from the Police Traffic Headquarters reveals that from January 1st to August 31st, 2023, there have been 1,427 fatal road accidents resulting in the loss of 1,500 lives.
"Motorcycle accidents account for about one-third of these road accidents leading to death. From January to August 31 this year, a total of 630 motorcyclists have lost their lives in 612 accidents," DIG Hapugoda said.
In 2020, there were 2,370 fatalities in 2,250 road accidents, while in 2021, 2,565 lives were lost in 2,455 accidents. In 2022, there were 2,518 deaths in 2,418 road accidents.
The majority of the reported deaths from road accidents involve motorcycles, DIG Hapugoda said.
He further said the number of vehicles registered with the Department of Motor Traffic has increased from 3.8 million in 2013 to 8.3 million in 2023. Among these, 4.1 million vehicles are motorcycles, and 1,185,000 are three-wheelers.
Highlighting the issue of reckless driving and failure to wear helmets as the leading causes of motorcycle accidents, the DIG mentioned that in 2021 at least 218,928 individuals were fined for not wearing helmets, and in 2022, the number was 206,730.
"People riding motorcycles often carry their helmets in their hands and only put them on when they see the police," he said.
Furthermore, there were 47 accidents involving school children reported in 2020, 41 accidents in 2021, and 171 accidents in 2022. In accidents during last year, four children had lost their lives, 28 were seriously injured, and 15 were left permanently disabled.
Regarding accidents caused by bus drivers under the influence of alcohol and drugs, DIG Hapugoda said 18,000 breathalyzer devices have been acquired to test alcohol usage among bus drivers.
He also said a pilot project aimed at identifying drivers using drugs, including heroin have been launched and they have arrested 94 bus drivers during such raids. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)
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