A road traffic accident is reported in Sri Lanka every ten minutes and two or three persons are injured due to same. Every day eight persons die from road accidents while fatalities number 3000 each year, a Community Physician attached to the Peradeniya University Prof. Samath Dharamaratne said.
He said: “At least a fine of Rs.100,000 should be imposed for driving without a valid license and driving under the influence of liquor.”
Addressing a press conference held at the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) in Colombo yesterday, Prof. Dharmnaratne said that Sri Lanka is one of the countries in the world that reports the highest number of road traffic accidents and the majority of the victims are young males. Two thirds of the accidents victims become permanently disabled. They are the breadwinners of poor families.
According to Prof. Dharmaratne, the situation may have a direct impact on the inability of getting rid of poverty in the country. The elderly population of Sri Lanka is growing rapidly and there will not be adequate young people to look after them in future if the dangerous upward trend of the road traffic accident situation continues.
Lecturer attached to the Colombo University Dr.Achala Jayatilleke said that one third of road traffic accident victims are poor pedestrians who do not have a vehicle of their own. All road traffic accidents can be prevented. For example, countries such as Japan, Norway, Sweden etc. have cut down the number of traffic accidents by implementing strict laws. In Japan very high fines are imposed for drunk driving.Not only drunk drivers but also the bar owners who sold them liquor and the front seat passenger who sat and let the drunk driver to drive too are fined.