News
Warnings over fatigue as expressway claims more victims
Thirty-two-year-old Krishantha, lying on a bed at the Colombo National Hospital, lost his right leg below the knee in the freak accident on the Southern Expressway last week that also claimed the right leg of parliamentarian Ajith Mannapperuma.
Krishantha lying in hospital. Pic by Mangala Weerasekera
Krishantha is the United National Party (UNP) MP’s police-appointed security officer and has 12 years of VIP security service for political leaders such as former defence minister Anuruddha Ratwatte and former presidential contender Sarath Fonseka.
With a heavily pregnant wife whose baby is due next week and a six-year-old child back at home unaware of the severity of his injury, Krishantha, from Nittambuwa, said he saw the driver struggling to control the vehicle as it skidded off the road and hit a protective iron railing.
When the accident occurred at about 12.35 pm last Sunday the car and its occupants – Gampaha district MP Mannapperuma, Krishantha and the driver – were at the 39-40km posts on the expressway, between Dodangoda and Welipenna.
“The MP and driver were on the front while I was on the back seat behind Mr. Mannapperuma. We had just dropped of the MP’s son at the Boossa camp for university entrants leadership training,” he said.
The accident involving MP Mannapperuma’s vehicle. Pic by Rathnasiri Premalal
The driver, who was Mr. Mannapperuma’s personal driver, had been driving on long trips to the Uva province with Passara in Badulla being the last destination just a few hours before the accident. The MP attended the 68th anniversary celebrations of the party held in Passara on Saturday evening.
“Though we were not driving above the speed limit the road was wet,” said Krishantha. “When the vehicle hit the railing, the MP’s seat hit my face hard and I felt a sudden throbbing pain on my right leg and saw it bleeding. Other drivers took us out of the car but it took about 20 minutes for the ambulances to arrive,” he said.
The railing had pierced through the jeep, injuring both the passengers’ right legs. Both were taken to the nearby Nagoda Hospital and later transferred to the National Hospital, where due to the severity of the injuries, both their right legs had to be amputated below the knee.
National Hospital’s Director Dr. Anil Jasinghe said Mr. Mannapperuma had been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit on Wednesday and is recovering after the surgery.
The Director of Maintenance Management and Construction Division of the Road Development Authority (RDA), T. K. Ranatunge said he is looking into the delay in the arrival of the ambulance.
“There are three ambulances for the expressway. Apart from these there is a police highway patrolling crew, Special Task Force units and fire brigade teams. When 1969 is dialed, emergency vehicles need to be immediately deployed,” he said.
According to police records, 274 accidents have been reported on the Southern Expressway to date from January 1.
Since its commissioning in 2011, the Southern expressway has seen 12 fatal accidents that have claimed 16 lives. Since 2011, a total 1,190 accidents have been reported.
The Colombo-Katunayake expressway has seen a total 119 accidents since its commissioning last year, with one death from a fatal accident.
Police spokesman Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajith Rohana said the driver of Mr. Mannapperuma’s car was not under arrest and was being treated for injuries from the accident.
“Investigations are underway to determine the cause for the accident. Once the driver is discharged from the hospital, action will be taken,” he said.
He said the accident happened at 12.35 pm and the 1969 emergency call had been received at 12.40 pm.
“The ambulance was at Kurundugaha-hatekma and it had taken about 12 minutes to arrive on the scene,” he said.
Former deputy inspector-general of police, T. Perimpenayagam, said expressways should not be used for speeding over the limit as they are built for the convenience of all drivers.
“Avoid driving during the rainy season and in the afternoon as it is tiring. If driving in the afternoon the driver must have enough rest before the start of the journey,” he said.
He said it was not advisable to drive on expressways non-stop for more than two hours as sleepiness and fatigue set in.
“If your vehicles start to skid in bad weather, depress the clutch and do not brake, turn the steering wheel into the direction of the skid and when the vehicle straightens steer along the road,” Mr Perimpenayagam said, adding that police patrol and ambulances should be more vigilant as their duties on the expressways are round the clock.