News
Improper parking cause of recent fatal accidents: Authorities
View(s):By Chrishanthi Christopher
Improper parking- the cause behind recent accidents
Improper parking has been blamed for a series of recent accidents involving speeding vehicles and heavy vehicles parked on the roadside.
Last week, popular TV actress Kavisha Ayeshani (24) was killed in a motor accident.
The actress was returning home from a party in the early hours of Sunday morning, when her car hit a parked bus at Jubiliee Post, Nugegoda. She was pronounced dead on admission.
A few weeks ago, a 49-year-old lady doctor from Ukkulamkulam attached to Vavuniya Hospital and an 18-year-old girl, resident in Pandarikulam, Vavuniya, were killed and another passenger critically injured, when their double cab crashed into a parked container truck on the left side of the road in Mahawa.
In a similar accident last month, two police constables attached to the Katana police station died when their motorcycle collided with a container parked on the Divulapitiya Road.
The victims were 28-year-old and 46-year-old residents of Katuwana and Kaduwela respectively. According to the police, they had crashed into the rear of the truck.
Former DIG, K. Arasaratnam said accidents are caused by carelessness of drivers who park vehicles haphazardly. He said that, although proper guidelines are given when learning for a licence, they tend to ignore the rules, once on the roads.
“They learn the rules to pass the exams. They park anywhere they like,” he said.
Further, he said drivers should refrain from driving long hours and take breaks every three hours. “When they drive for long periods, they tend to stop anywhere they see a tea kiosk or a roadside boutique, to have a cup of tea, with no concern for other vehicles on the roads,” he said. 
Mr Arasaratnam said the number of motor vehicles on the roads is increasing daily and that, it is important to conduct awareness programmes for drivers who break the rules. “I did it when I was in office,” he said.
DIG- Traffic, Palitha Fernando said most accidents happen because of drivers failing to follow rules when parking vehicles. He said it is important that lorries and containers display luminous boards in front and rear, when parking roadside.
“This is not being done, and motorists who turn at T-junctions or, come up from behind, end up banging on to these parked vehicles,” he said.
We usually tow away vehicles parked for over two to three hours. But we are also planning to have spot fines for those who park without any signs,” he said.
Meanwhile, Registrar of Motor Vehicles, Commissioner, A.H.K. Jagath, while endorsing that drivers do not follow rules when on the roads, said it is important that the local authorities and the police are strict on the drivers. “We give them a written test and a trial which includes refraining from parking close to junctions. Also they are told to have luminous boards when parked by the roadside, but nothing is being followed,” he said.
“Local authorities should consider moving the three-wheeler stands at junctions, as they pose a problem to turning vehicles,” he said.
‘
Demarcated no-parking zones prove to be inefficient