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On Friday, shortly before dawn, a group set out from Hatton to attend a wedding in Haputale. Their journey did not last long, as the driver crashed into a lamp post injuring 23. The accident came four days after a passenger bus skidded off the road in Bandarawela, killing 12 and injuring over 30 others.

Both accidents had two similarities– the drivers were speeding on winding roads in foggy conditions.  On Monday evening, shortly after dusk, a bus packed with 65 passengers skidded off the Bandarawela-Poonagala road and fell 350 feet into a precipice By the time villagers, police and forces arrived, 10 passengers including five females had died instantly.  Nimesha Thisari (16) who was preparing for December’s Ordinary Level Exam was the youngest victim.

Dinusha Sandamali (19), who was her family’s breadwinner, also died in the accident, leaving her sickly parents and two younger brothers in dire straits.  About 15 injured including the driver were rushed to Bandarawela and Diyatalawa Hospitals.
Regular bus commuters in the area said this particular driver is known for using the mobile phone while driving the bus. Following this accident, the Transport Minister has imposed a ban on the use of mobile phones by Sri Lanka Transport Board drivers.

Just four days into the accident, on Friday morning, a speeding private bus plying to Haputale from Hatton hit a telephone pole injuring 23 passengers.  According to Welimada police, the driver was not able to control the speeding bus when it reached a bend. Ten of the critically injured have been transferred to the Badulla General Hospital. Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said that 30,000 traffic accidents have been reported, resulting in 2,000 deaths and 15,000 injuries, both critical and minor.

He said recklessness, speeding, intoxication, neglecting road rules and indiscipline are among the leading causes behind road accidents.  “We have been conducting awareness programmes and taking strict measures against speeding and intoxicated drivers. The public too should complain of such reckless drivers,” he said.

Banadarwela accident that claimed 10 lives instantly Pic by Palitha Ariyawansa

Dr. T. Sivakumar, Head of Moratuwa University’s Department of Transport and Logistics, said the country’s passenger transport system is not properly regularized.  “Safe driving should be taught to drivers and conductors. Disciplined driving methods should be taught while examining driving knowledge skills. Apart from driving etiquette, they should also have annual medical fitness test reports with them. At present, only police take action against road rule violators,” he said.
Dr. Sivakumar said that despite improvement in our country’s transport system, vehicle maintenance and detection and repairs to road damage are often ignored.

The four-year-old Parliamentary Committee on Road Traffic Accidents, has not yet submitted its final report to Parliament. 
Committee Chairman, P. Dayaratne MP said that there is a delay in the Parliamentary documentation section and that a number of proposals with regard to road rule violations have been included in the final report.

“We hope that it can be submitted to Parliament soon. Meanwhile, the Transport Ministry should coordinate with the relevant police stations where the public can instantly lodge complaints about reckless driving, speeding and bus crew conduct. Police too should be deployed in civvies and travel in buses to detect errant drivers,” he added.

(Additional reporting by Palitha Ariyawansa in Badulla and Ratnam Kogulan in Bandarawela)