Opinion
Mayhem on road
According to available data, Sri Lanka experiences a significant number of road traffic accidents with statistics indicating an average of around 38,000 crashes annually, resulting in approximately 2,500 fatalities and 8,000 serious injuries, placing it among the highest road fatality rates in the South East Asia! It’s absolutely shocking news! Let’s analyse available data.
According to research by D.S.Kodithuwakku of University of Kelaniya: The impact of environmental and human factors has significant importance on the Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) in Sri Lanka. Past studies have shown that neither the expansion of roads horizontally or vertically nor the reduction in the vehicle density is a solution to reduce RTAs. Therefore, this study is to determine the significant human factors associated with RTAs in Sri Lanka using data on RTAs during 2005-2019 obtained from the Department of Police, Sri Lanka, and suggest some solutions to reduce RTAs. The six reasons for major RTAs are overtaking, diversion, speed driving, alcohol consumption of driver, negligence of pedestrians, and mechanical fault of vehicles. About 85% of major RTAs were due to overtaking (32%), diversion (27%), and speed driving (25%). The percentage of RTAs under each of these variables is significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of RTAs when the drivers have alcohol more than the minimum level (9%). The Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Conformity factor analysis (CFA) confirmed that reasons for RTAs can be classified into two latent factors, namely, ‘lack of attention of the drivers’ and ‘negligence of the drivers. The two factors are invariant on the type of extraction method as well the type of orthogonal rotation. The fitted binary logistic model revealed that the significant variables on RTAs are negligence of the road conditions by the drivers, lack of attention of the driver, age of driver less than 18 years, and status of alcohol by the drivers. The odds of fatal accidents happening when the driver has a valid driving licence are 4.3 times higher than that of a driver without a valid licence ! The inferences derived from this study can be easily used by Department of Police in Sri Lanka to reduce the RTAs in Sri Lanka. Drivers should be motivated to become well-disciplined drivers. Fines for those who do not adhere to road rules need to be increased substantially.
Vehicles in Sri Lanka do not currently require a mandatory MOT (Ministry of Transport) test, as there is no established system similar to the UK’s MOT that comprehensively checks a vehicle’s roadworthiness on a regular basis; however, vehicles are subject to annual licence renewals which include basic quality checks and emission tests during the process, and authorities can conduct random inspections if needed. How does it compare to U.K. ‘s mandatory 1st MOT for a brand new vehicle after just 3 years to be renewed annually!
Causes of Road Accidents
Over Speeding.
Drunken Driving.
Distractions to Driver.
Red Light Jumping.
Avoiding Safety Gears like Seat belts and Helmets.
Non-adherence to lane driving and overtaking in a wrong manner.
This is a common sight in Wales to warn drivers in addition to mandatory speed limits of 20MPH and 30MPH on certain stretches of roads introduced by the previous Welsh government under Mark Drakeford. It has already reduced RTAs significantly. Bumps across roads called Sleeping Policemen are in place near schools, hospitals and where elderly people live in care homes. Cats eyes in the middle of roads reflect light in white, green and red where it is dangerous to overtake !
Roads are classified as motorways (70 MPH), dual carriageways (70MPH) with National speed limit of 60MPH on A routes unless otherwise specified. Also, clear warning signs on narrower roads – Unsuitable for heavy goods vehicles. Drivers who qualify for a Blue Badge due to disabilities get one free which helps parking near shops subject to certain rules!
Sunil Dharmabandhu
Wales, U.K.
Passed my driving test on 07.07.1977 and still possess a clean licence, driving even our 3500kg 4 berth motor home
The proposed expansion of the Kelani Valley railway line has prompted the squatters to demolish the buildings and the above photograph depicts the ad-hoc manner in which a building in the heart of Nugegoda town (No 39 Poorwarama Road) has been haphazardly demolished posing a risk to the general public. Residents say that the live electric wire has not been disconnected and the half-demolished structure is on the verge of collapse, causing inevitable fatal damages.
Over to the Railway Department, Kotte Municipality Ceylon Electricity Board and the Nugegoda Police.
Athula Ranasinghe,
Nugegoda.
On July 19, 1989, United Airlines Flight 232 departed Denver, Colorado for Chicago, Illinois. The forecast weather was fine. Unfortunately, engine no. 2 – the middle engine in the tail of the three-engined McDonnell Douglas DC 10 – suffered an explosive failure of the fan disk, resulting in all three hydraulic system lines to the aircraft’s control surfaces being severed. This rendered the DC-10 uncontrollable except by the highly unorthodox use of differential thrust on the remaining two serviceable engines mounted on the wings.
Consequently, the aircraft was forced to divert to Sioux City, Iowa to attempt an emergency crash landing. But the crew lost control at the last moment and the airplane crashed. Out of a total of 296 passengers and crew, 185 survived.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) declared after an investigation that besides the skill of the operating crew, one significant factor in the survival rate was that hospitals in proximity to the airport were experiencing a change of shifts and therefore able to co-opt the outgoing and incoming shift workers to take over the additional workload of attending to crash victims.
One wonders what would have happened if an overflying aircraft diverted to MRIA-Mattala, BIA-Colombo, Colombo International Airport Ratmalana (CIAR) or Palaly Airport, KKS during the doctors’ strike in the 24 hours starting March 12, 2025? Would the authorities have been able to cope? International airlines (over a hundred a day) are paying in dollars to overfly and file Sri Lankan airports as en route alternates (diversion airports).
Doctors in hospitals in the vicinity of the above-named international airports cannot be allowed to go on strike, and their services deemed essential. Even scheduled flights to those airports could be involved in an accident, with injured passengers at risk of not receiving prompt medical attention.
The civil aviation regulator in this country seems to be sitting fat, dumb, and happy, as we say in aviation.
Guwan Seeya
Plans to resurrect the Nanu Oya – Nuwara Eliya rail track are welcome. The magnificent views from the train have been described by H W Cave in his book The Ceylon Government Railway (1910):
‘The pass by which Nuwara Eliya is reached is one of the most exquisite things in Ceylon. In traversing its length, the line makes a further ascent of one thousand feet in six miles. The curves and windings necessary to accomplish this are the most intricate on the whole railway and frequently have a radius of only eighty feet. On the right side of the deep mountain gorge we ascend amongst the tea bushes of the Edinburgh estate, and at length emerge upon a road, which the line shares with the cart traffic for about a mile. In the depths of the defile flows the Nanuoya river, foaming amongst huge boulders of rock that have descended from the sides of the mountains, and bordered by tree ferns, innumerable and brilliant trees of the primeval forest which clothe the face of the heights. In this land of no seasons their stages of growth are denoted by the varying tints of scarlet, gold, crimson, sallow green, and most strikingly of all, a rich claret colour, the chief glory of the Keena tree’.
However, as in colonial times, the railway should be available for both tourists and locals so that splendid vista can be enjoyed by all.
Dr R P Fernando
Epsom,
UK
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