By Road accidents are increasing at an alarming rate and 2470 deaths have been reported last year. Approximately seven deaths happen due to road accidents. Among those who meet with fatal accidents about one thousand are school children.
The number of those wounded is around 15,000 and 22,000 road accidents have been recorded. Approximately three accidents occur per hour.
Among motorists, the most susceptible group prone to road accidents are motorcyclists and three-wheeler drivers. Unruly driving is a form of terrorism said Senior Police Spokesman Ajith Rohana.
The cost
The police spokesman said once death occurs due to a road accident approximately about a million rupees is spent on the judicial process said Ajith Rohana .
The judicial process includes on-site investigation, forensic analysis, reporting, and the judicial process which is very time-consuming and expensive.
According to Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) Expert Committee on Prevention of Road Traffic Crashes Co-Chair Prof. Samath Dharmaratne, the Government of Sri Lanka each year incurs a cost of over Rs. 5 billion to treat patients who are injured due to road accidents
According to the Central Bank Report 2020, the preventable economic burden is 450 billion rupees, there is no calculation for the loss of lives and the extent of socio-economic damage to the families.
The Police spokesperson said that people exercising on the road has become a ‘fashionable hazard” A new device to detect drug use is to be introduced shortly.
