Transporting schoolchildren on motorcycles allowed on compassionate grounds: DIG Indika Hapugoda

Colombo, August 21 (Daily Mirror) - There is no legal provision for transporting schoolchildren on motorcycles, but the traffic police have allowed this on compassionate grounds, Senior DIG Traffic Administration and Road Safety, Indika Hapugoda said.

Addressing an event held in Colombo, he said only pillion riders who meet the age requirement are permitted to place their feet on the motorcycle's foot-rests and are allowed to travel on motorcycles.

"Schoolchildren aged between 5 and 10 are not allowed to be transported as pillion riders according to the existing traffic law," he said.

However, the Senior DIG Traffic informed the schoolchildren and people gathered at the event about road accidents.

He mentioned that a total of 8.4 million vehicles have been registered with the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) by May 2024, and more than 4.8 million (58%) of them are motorcycles. The DMT has registered 1.1 million (14%) three-wheelers.

A total of 12,000 people are killed annually due to accidents, including drownings, electrocutions and falls, suicides etc.

One-third of the total accidents (3,000) were caused by road accidents, while 1,000 of the deaths reported were due to motorcycle accidents.

At least 2,257 people out of 2,452 accidents were killed in 2021 and 2,540 people were killed out of 2,420 accidents in 2022. In 2023, a slight decrease in accidents was seen. Accordingly, 2,325 people were killed following 2,214 accidents.

A total of 1,417 people were killed following 1,352 accidents by August 10, 2024.

A total of 220 schoolchildren were killed in 2021 due to motorcycle accidents. Accordingly, 157 schoolchildren between the ages of 5 and 6 were killed in 2021.

"In 2021, a total of 220 schoolchildren aged 5 to 10 died in motorcycle accidents. Of these, 157 were between the ages of 5 and 6, 192 were between the ages of 7 and 8, and 181 were between the ages of 9 and 10. The total number of accidents recorded throughout the year was 1,994."

"In 2022, a total of 282 schoolchildren between the ages of 5 and 18 died in road accidents, with a total of 2,847 accidents recorded that year. In 2023, another 328 schoolchildren were involved in accidents, marking an increase compared to 2022 and 2021.

In 2021, court cases were filed against 206,730 motorcycle riders and pillion riders for not wearing helmets while riding. Nearly 180,000 cases were filed in 2022, and 286,750 cases were filed in 2023," he said.