(COLOMBO) – At least six Sri Lankans died each day in motor accidents during the first six months of the year, police revealed on Saturday.
They said there had been 1,154 fatalities and that the number are likely to rise owing to the carelessness of both motorists and even pedestrians, Sri Lanka’s State Minister for Transport, Lasantha Alagiyawanna told the media in the commercial capital of Colombo.
He said the police with other stakeholders have launched several programs aimed at educating all road users in a bid to arrest this frightening trend.
The National Council for Road Safety has also provided Rs. 50 million to the Sri Lanka Police for the purchase of speed control equipment, he said, adding that the Ministry of Transport will also issue a gazette with new road speed limits within the next two weeks.
Road Safety Clubs will be established at the school level to inculcate the importance of obeying road rules, the State Minister said.
Accidents involving motor vehicles are common in Sri Lanka and in the previous year some 2,200 people died from 2,557 traffic accidents Alagiyawanna said.
