Fast-tracked talks to slow down expressway accidents
New measures to be taken include minimum speed limit, more rest areas and rapid-response ambulance service
Implementing a minimum speed limit, setting up more rest areas, and providing a special rapidresponse ambulance service were among the measures being studied to improve expressway safety.
The measures were discussed on Monday at the Transport Ministry during a special meeting convened to minimise accidents on expressways. The meeting was called following the Katunayake-Colombo Highway fatal crash that killed State Minister Sanath Nishantha last week.
Transport and Highways Ministry Secretary Ranjith Ganganath Rubasinghe said one of the proposals was to launch a study to see whether it was necessary to implement a minimal speed limit for slow-moving vehicles.
Apart from that, there was consensus that more rest areas should be set up for drivers to relax, as fatigue due to long-distance driving was also one of the causes of highway accidents, he said.
“We have even identified specified locations along the expressways to build rest areas. These facilities would give drivers the option of resting during a long drive," he added.
Mr. Rubasinghe said a rapidresponse ambulance service on highways was also being considered to quickly admit accident victims.
He said the participants recommended strict implementation of speed limits and action against speeding motorists, as more accidents had occurred due to speeding."
Meanwhile, a senior expressway official said he believed poor lighting on the expressways was a major concern. He added that the expressway authorities were grappling with the issue of illuminating the Katunayake expressway, as drug addicts were in the habit of removing copper electric wires.
On the Southern Expressway, solar panels were installed to light up the Hambantota section, but thieves have removed the batteries.
The official pointed out that despite the expressway police mobile vehicles and the rule that vehicles cannot be stopped on highways, the culprits came in vehicles and succeeded in removing the cables.
However, the traffic police claimed that motorists could stop the vehicles along the left lane of the expressway while placing signs. However, they have yet to make such arrests, as they have not come across such incidents of thievery.
As a solution, the expressway authorities have called for tenders to obtain aluminium wires for the expressway lighting system, assuming that the thieves would not remove the cheaper metal.
The expressway official said he agreed that over-speeding, along with a callous disregard for road discipline, was a major factor in highway accidents. Driving vehicles that lack safety features was also a concern. He said some container trucks and lorries do not have front and rear lights operational, and their brake lights also do not work.
He said that at Monday's meeting, a decision was taken to instruct the expressway police to increase patrols and use speed-detecting equipment to catch over-speeding drivers. The official added that they also planned to gauge the speed based on the time taken to travel the distance.
Apart from these suggestions, they also discussed that commercial vehicles should be checked for their condition before they enter expressways.
Traffic Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Indika Hapugoda, told the Sunday Times he had requested a meeting with the Road Development Authority and Expressway Operation Maintenance and Management Division on Tuesday.
He said the meeting was sought to discuss measures to overcome the Colombo-Katunaayake expressway lighting issue and come up with an action plan to deal with culprits who steal copper cables.
The Sunday Times learned that at the meeting, the issues faced by the expressway police were also taken up. The problems included the reduction of fuel quotas issued to
motorway police patrol vehicles following the economic crisis, the quarters for police officers, and the type of vehicles provided to them.
Road Development Authority Director General Saradha Weerakoon told the Sunday Times that discussions continue between the expressway authorities, the RDA, and the police to minimise accidents on expressways.
He said new regulations on maintaining a minimum speed limit were being considered, and a decision would be taken next week. Once these measures were finalised by next week, he said he would be able to explain them in detail.