Govt. determined to bring road accidents to zero within 10 years: Transport Minister

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama  

The Government is planning to bring down the number of road accidents to zero by 2030, Transport Minister Gamini Lokuge said.  

He said so while addressing an event organised by the National Council for Road Safety at the Transport Ministry, to hand over monetary assistance for hit-and-run victims.  Minister Lokuge said at least 10 people were being killed by road accidents daily and nearly 20 were becoming disabled.  

“With the development of road infrastructure in the country, the speed limits have also increased. The rules and regulations implemented over road traffic safety should be amended. The drivers should be educated of the new rules and regulations that are in place,” the Minister said.  National Council for Road Safety Chairman R.L. Anton who addressed the event said that 71% of the accidents were caused by reckless motorcyclists, pedestrians and cyclists. Out of which, 38% of them were caused by motorcyclists while 31% was caused by pedestrians and 50%  by pedestrians over 50-years-old.   

He said the vehicles that caused  most of the road accidents were  listed as motorcycles, lorries, three-wheeler and buses (private and SLTB).   A total of 2,688 fatal accidents had been reported in 2019  during which 2,851 people had been killed.