SL needs additional US $ 2bn to cut road fatalities by 50%: WB
SL has worst road fatality rate in South Asia; highest pedestrian fatalities 38,000 crashes annually; around 3,000 fatalities and 8,000 serious injuries Situation worsened by rapid growth in vehicle ownership WB calls authorities to set up National Transport Safety Commission and National Transport Safety Fund Points out penalties collected through traffic violations don’t go to improve road safety
Sri Lanka, which has the worst road fatality rate among its immediate neighbours in the South Asian region, needs to make US $ 2 billion additional investments over the coming decade to achieve a 50 percent reduction in national road crash fatalities, according to the latest World Bank (WB) report.
“Poor road safety performance in Sri Lanka is a symptom of underinvestment in targeted initiatives. It is estimated that Sri Lanka will require an additional investment of almost US $ 2 billion over the coming decade, if it is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3.6 target of a 50 percent reduction in national road crash fatalities,” the WB said.
The study highlighted that the estimated annual road crash deaths per capita in Sri Lanka is twice the average rate in highincome countries and five times that of the best performing countries in the world.
As per the available data, an average of 38,000 crashes happen annually, which result in around 3,000 fatalities and 8,000 serious injuries.
The current crisis has been exacerbated by the rapid growth in vehicle ownership and diversity of motorised and nonmotorised traffic of varying sizes and speeds, without providing adequate protection for the most vulnerable.
The study pointed out that vehicle ownership in the country is already high by regional standards and grew by 67 percent between 2011 and 2018.
“If this trend continues, as expected, crash fatalities and injuries will steadily climb — unless urgently required measures are implemented,” the WB cautioned.
Sri Lanka’s state agencies, which are responsible for road safety, are inadequately empowered and resourced to deal with the escalating danger on the roads.
“Governance challenges impede the mobilisation of a systemic, targeted and sustained road safety programme.
Crash data and network safety performance data weaknesses undermine capacity to develop a results-focused strategy and ensure its adequate coordination, legislative support, funding and resource allocation, promotion, monitoring and evaluation and related research and development and knowledge transfer,” the authors of the study pointed out.
In particular, many road deaths and injuries in the country have a severe impact on the poor, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists as well as children.
Sri Lanka currently has the highest pedestrian fatalities in the South Asian region. “More effective, efficient and scaled-up initiatives are required to emulate the performance trajectories of high-income countries that define good road safety practice and provide a blueprint for action,” the WB stressed. In 2011, a Road Safety Fund (RSF) was established as per Section 213B of the Motor Traffic Act by assuring around one percent of all the third-party insurance and other grants accrue to it. The RSF funds the National Council for Road Safety (NCRS). The NCRS makes payments from the RSF to victims of hit-and-run crashes.
However, funds collected through traffic violations don’t go to RSF. Therefore, the WB urged the government to enact the National Transport Safety Commission Act to establish an empowered National Transport Safety Commission (NTSC) and a National Transport Safety Fund.
“Penalties collected through traffic violations go to a Police Welfare Fund (40 percent), postal department (10 percent) and the Consolidated Fund of the government (50 percent). These funds are not spent on road safety improvements. An amendment being considered under the proposed National Transport Safety Commission Act would ensure that all penalties collected from traffic violations also accrue to the RSF, to be allocated to road safety activities,” the WB noted. The study pointed at potential welfare and economic gains for Sri Lanka from achieving a 50 percent envisaged fatality reduction on the road.
Analysis based on countries that have achieved 50 percent reduction in road fatalities indicates an estimated 7-22 percent increase in GDP and welfare gains equivalent to 6-32 percent of GDP over a 24-year period.
As the country’s traffic police struggles to handle the vehicular traffic in Colombo during the rush hours, Military Police has been deployed from yesterday to assist traffic control in Colombo on a presidential directive.