How many more lives have to be lost to get tough on traffic offenders?
Statistics of fatal road accidents point to 7-10 deaths per day in Sri Lanka. From numerous articles/information appearing in both print and electronic media, the general public has been made aware that the number of deaths taking place due to fatal accidents is very high. In such a background, the officials as well as the legislators who are responsible and accountable for safe, secure road use in this country, by motorists and pedestrians, will need to oversee that road rules and traffic laws are properly implemented. Sad to say, I observe that there is no continuity in implementation of same, but only knee-jerk reactions to public outcry, and as such the number of road deaths have been escalating instead of being brought under control or declining.
It was only last week that a traffic cop got run-down by a MoratuwaPettah bus at Galle-Face, Colombo-1 in broad daylight. The bus driver was speeding and driving on the “wrong lane”. Probably, in response to this unfortunate incident, the Police have been instructed, to take action from August 11 against vehicle drivers if they were found to be violating the speed limits, thereby reactivating the speed checking practice which had been suspended/ abandoned for a few years. This is good news for the disciplined road user, or those who yearn for better road safety and I urge that emphasis be given for continuity of this practice while demonstrating to the public that it is proactively enforced at all times of the day
Given the serious nature of the issue at hand, flimsy excuses such as a lack of traffic police manpower, lack of speed guns to check speeding vehicles, out dated equipment, inadequate speed sign etc., which hamper the speed-checking efforts, should not be tolerated. In fact it is high time to impose, ‘zero-tolerance’ considering the fact that the incidence of road accidents has now reached significant proportions as a public menace.
Of equal importance is to immedi- ately act to deter bad habits of driving while using a mobile phone, ‘lane cutting’ by motorists and ‘jay walking’ by pedestrians while facilitating conditions for pedestrians to use the pavements free of any obstructions. Unless we implement an orchestrated effort to curb these bad habits on a priority basis, ‘road safety’ in Sri Lanka will remain a dream or an item in our ‘wish-list’.
Coming back to last week’s unfortunate incident where the victim was a traffic cop, it is recommended that there be more stringent enforcement of rules for bus drivers. Being a daily road user along the Galle Road, I see that among different categories of drivers it is the bus drivers who are the worst offenders of speeding and lane cutting. So let this incident be another ‘eye-opener’ for the traffic police and other regulatory bodies to be more serious in keeping them under check, for road safety.
We should not hesitate to hit traffic offenders where it hurts- their wallets - by strictly enforcing fines and blocking any loopholes that allow offenders to get off the hook by paying a bribe. Priyantha Fernando
Moratuwa