Road safety expert says driver misbehaviour is a serious concern
In an interview with the Sunday Times, road safety expert Dr. Jayalath Edirisinghe, who is a senior lecturer in civil engineering at the University of Peradeniya, says he sees driver behaviour, speeding, reckless overtaking, and ineffective law enforcement as the key causes of road accidents, apart from drink driving and distracted driving, such as the use of mobile phones while driving.
Excerpts from the interview:
Have the standards of the drivers dropped? Could you specify what actions lead to accidents?
Driver misbehaviour is a major concern. Compared to countries where traffic accidents are fewer, in Sri Lanka, obtaining a driving licence is relatively easy. So, there are doubts about standards and the quality of training. There are no records of giving training on behaviour, attitude, etc. before obtaining a driving licence.
The efficiency of law enforcement also contributes significantly to the quality of driving. Shortdistance public transport buses drive slowly to pick up passengers blocking the traffic, and long-distance buses drive at very high speeds and compete with other drivers while there are hundreds of law enforcement authorities on the roads. Their failure contributes significantly to driver indiscipline.
Although speeding is blamed for fatal accidents, on expressways, it is said slow-moving vehicles were also a concern. What are your thoughts on this?
Speeding is one of the major contributing factors to accidents, as drivers will have to make quick decisions, and the distance left to make a quick turn reduces drastically at high speeds. The stopping distance will be directly proportional to the speed of the vehicle. The average human driver needs 2.5 seconds to respond to a dangerous situation while driving. Since the time is fixed irrespective of the speed of the vehicle, the distance left will be reduced at high speeds.
Speeding is the major contributing factor to fatalities in accidents.
The recommended speed on highways is 100 km/hr, while on normal roads it is 70 km/hr. Higher speeds on highways are allowed due to fewer interruptions during driving, such as road crossings, vehicle merging, pedestrian crossings, and vehicles parked on roadsides. Anyway, since the speed factor matters, adequate precautions should be taken while driving on expressways, as any unexpected accident can result in severe harm.
Low speeds cause traffic congestion, disturb fellow drivers, and contribute to accidents. Low speeds can be due to the load on the vehicle, hilly terrain, or problems in the vehicle. Buses driving at a slow speed unnecessarily are unacceptable.
Are the traffic laws adequate?
A: No. The demerit point system has been in discussion for more than 10 years, and new laws should be introduced considering the changes in traffic and transportation. Most importantly, the existing rules should be implemented strictly, irrespective of the driver or the owner of the vehicle. Anybody standing by the side of a road or travelling along any major road for more than one hour will doubt whether there is law enforcement in the country.
Are the road signs properly visible? Do you see whether the road signs and correct driving techniques are followed by drivers?
Road signs are important to improve safety. We are a signatory to the Vienna Convention on road signs and markings. I am not happy about the maintenance of road signs on roads. Some road signs (traffic signs) are made using paint instead of original sticker sheets; most of those are faded or discoloured. Stop signs on the roads are not properly displayed. There is no proper maintenance. A significant number of road signs are covered with dust or covered by branches of trees.
Inappropriate road signs and markings will cause drivers to lose trust and ignore such signs. Having a double line at the centre at junctions or access rods is an example.
Sri Lanka has been trying to introduce a demerit system for drivers. How would this be helpful?
If it is implemented effectively, drivers will behave better.
What are the other measures the state and drivers could take to reduce accidents?
Public awareness, education programmes for drivers, active media campaigns, and strict law enforcement might improve the situation.