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Dazzled by headlights motorcyclist in fatal crash
View(s):A motorcyclist who was temporarily blinded by the strong headlights of an oncoming van was killed when his bike crashed into a tree, while the pillion rider was injured, a coroner’s court inquiry was told this week. The motor cyclist was killed at Malwatta in the Nittambuwa police area last Tuesday (June 3).
The man identified as Hemantha Dahanayake, 49, a resident of Horagollawatte in Nittambuwa had been on his way from Colombo to Nittambuwa when the incident took place. He was a plumber in a private company in Katunayake. Chandana Prasanna Robero, 32, a carpenter said that he and Hemantha were on their way from Colombo at around 11 p.m. when a van coming from the opposite direction flashed its headlights at them.
“The driver of the van flashed both head lights at us. Hemantha tried to brake to stop the motor cycle from hitting the van. Instead it hit the edge of the road and then hit a tree. It then fell into a depression about four feet away,” Chandana said. The injured were then rushed to hospital in a three-wheeler. The motor cycle rider was pronounced dead on admission.
The pillion rider said the glare of the headlights of the van caused the motor cycle rider to lose control of his bike. The post mortem inquiry was conducted by National Hospital JMO Dr. M. R. D. Sufiyaan. She said that the death of the rider was caused by excessive bleeding and shock. The Inquirer into Sudden Deaths pronounced it as an accidental death.