According to the Global Status Report on Road Safety published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018, Sri Lanka has the poorest record for vulnerable road users in the South Asia region. Also, a World Bank Group report reveals that estimated annual road crash deaths per capita in Sri Lanka are twice the average rate in high-income countries.
For multiple reasons, road safety has been an extremely critical issue for Sri Lanka during the past two decades. The police have reported that despite the several lockdowns, inter-provincial travel restrictions, and other stringent health guidelines, there were 2419 fatalities and a total of 13,469 injuries, of which 52363 were severe injuries in 2021. Among the deaths were 697 pedestrians, 901 motorcyclists, 152 pillion riders, 246 passengers, and 14 cyclists.
According to available data, the average number of annual accidents in Sri Lanka stands at 38,000, with 3000 fatalities and 8,000 serious injuries. As such, Sri Lanka seem to be claiming the worst road fatality rate among its immediate neighbours in the South Asian region.
Road crash fatalities and injuries could cost over 3 percent of the country’s GDP, according to specialists.
Rising number
The above figures display the gravity of the prevailing issue. The steadily rising number of road-accident related deaths and injuries has become an overwhelmingly distressful problem for the Government due to the heavy cost burden on health authorities, the police department, the judiciary, and the general public as a whole.
The data also indicates that, unlike in developed countries where motorists are affected, in Sri Lanka, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists are the most vulnerable to road accident deaths and injuries. According to experts, many of these deaths and injuries were caused by negligence and most of them could have been averted.
The relevant authorities also reveal that, over and above the reported traffic accidents, many small accidents are not reported to the police due to the ease of claiming insurance after an accident. Thus, the actual number of traffic accidents is much more than the number given out by the police.
As stated by police sources, the cost of proceedings in a traffic-related death can cost up to a million rupees to the taxpayer for legal proceedings alone. Hence, counting the 30,000 lives lost during the past 10 years, the cost to the Government can easily be over 30 billion rupees in legal expenses and the cost of police investigations.
The challenge to the country of reducing accidents, fatal or otherwise, is immense. The improvement of the road network during the past two decades, in reality, should have reduced road accidents.
Experts
Regrettably, unlike in many other countries where the accident rate has been reduced with the improvement of road conditions, Sri Lanka’s rate keeps going up. Speeding, lack of knowledge of road rules, negligence, the influence of liquor, fatigue, and several other reasons were cited by the experts as key reasons for the escalation.
The excessively rapid growth in vehicle ownership (67 percent between 2011 and 2018 as per data) is another obstacle to controlling accidents.
The roads are inundated with too many vehicles, creating harsh traffic congestion, particularly in urban areas where drivers attempt to proceed by breaking any road rule. The trend was temporarily reversed with the recent ban on vehicle imports, although the move has not produced any improvement in the day-to-day accident rates.
Apart from the increased number of vehicles on the road, there are several other major reasons that make the control of accidents more complicated. One such reason is improper, uncoordinated, and arbitrary construction, expansions, or repairs. Traffic congestion created by such actions by the Government and private sector contractors is plenty and can be witnessed every day.
Also, the malpractices, inefficiencies, and overcrowding in issuing driver’s licences are the other factors that have to be addressed immediately. Most often, the intention of the applicants is completely based on getting through the written test and the driving trial to obtain their licenses. It is constantly reported in the media that heavy corruption takes place during both tests.
The knowledge derived from limited practical training and from memorising the road signage is insufficient to produce a responsible driver. This writer’s brief interviews with several drivers engaged in public transport revealed that they were unaware of rules or even signage except for very basic guidelines. After obtaining their driver’s license, most of them either forget the rules or ignore them completely while driving.
Traffic regulations
The biggest and most gruesome reason for road accidents is the non-compliance with traffic rules and regulations prevailing in the country. In urban traffic, three-wheel drivers and motorcycle riders are the biggest offenders. The vast majority of them completely disregard almost every traffic rule in the book. A total lack of concern about other road users is evident in these errant drivers.
The biggest threat to urban road accident prevention is the lack of focus by motorists on lane discipline. Time and again, the police attempt to re-introduce these traffic rules through various programs.
In 2018, the traffic division of the police attempted to impose lane discipline to minimise traffic congestion and reduce accidents. Although everyone complied at the initial stage, a few weeks later, the rules were willfully forgotten by both road users and law enforcers.
The most dangerous lane violation in lane discipline is switching lanes without indication. Most three-wheel drivers and motorcyclists violate lane discipline by overtaking from the left, completely disregarding the law. Also, most of them incessantly change lanes, endangering other drivers.
Private bus drivers are also big-time traffic offenders. Due to the fierce competition among private buses, there is a constant breaking of traffic rules and reckless driving takes place throughout the country.
Road rules
They do not comply with road rules and make all other road users depressed. These irresponsible drivers make arbitrary stops to take in passengers, overtake dangerously without concern about collisions, and race with other buses to maximise earnings.
Despite the heavy fine system introduced in 2018 for many traffic violations, the number of accidents and traffic accident-related deaths is on the rise.
This phenomenon indicates that the drivers and riders are not concerned about the fines. They only obey the rules in the presence of the police. On the other hand, because of the inadequate facilities compared to developed countries, in order to seize offenders, traffic policemen must be available physically all the time.
Fatigue, daytime sleepiness, over-speeding, and drunk driving are also reasons for road accidents. Fatigue encourages commercial vehicle drivers to use unlawful substances. Recent media reports have revealed that many private bus drivers even consume alcohol or other similar substances during work hours to avoid fatigue and boredom.
The demerit point system in practice in many developed countries has proven its effectiveness in influencing driver behaviour to conform to traffic laws. Some research reveals a substantial reduction in road accidents due to this effective monitoring system. The police recently announced that they will implement this technology-based system this year.
The demerit system, when properly in action, will be utilised to monitor traffic violations and will keep dangerous drivers off the roads. In this system, points will be deducted from the license, based on the type of offence. When a driver’s demerit points reach 24 points in a year, the license will be suspended or cancelled.
A lasting and system-wide approach to road safety is a dire need for Sri Lanka. Better enforcement of road safety regulations, educating all road users, including commuters, and perhaps a more stringent fine system apart from the demerit point system, may improve the prevailing gruesome situation.
Improving deteriorating road safety is essential to the economic growth of the country. Road crashes create an unbearable health expense that runs up to millions of rupees and a colossal waste of precious time for many road users other than crash victims. With proper control of road safety through an efficient mechanism, Sri Lanka can obtain large population welfare gains.