News
Level-crossing deaths show alarming increase
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
This year, so far, 312 deaths were reported in railway-related accidents, mostly at crossings
The double-powerset passenger train making its way to Maradana from Kurunegala was approaching a railway crossing in the Polgahawela area with engine driver H.D.R.A. Hettiarachchi at the controls with his assistant.
“As we headed towards the crossing I saw a motorcycle and van crossing the track while the warning bell and red light signal was on. I was just 25 yards away. I slowed down to a speed of 15 miles an hour,” Mr Hettiarachchi said.
“After the two vehicles went through I wanted to speed up but the next thing I saw was a car trying to cross the tracks and stalling.
“I was then 10 yards from the crossing. The headlights of the train were on the car. It was a red, small car. I applied the brakes and shouted to my assistant to keep sounding the horn but when the train stopped it was too late: the cowcatcher hit the car with a big bang and dragged it about 20 feet,” Mr. Hettiarachchi said.
The car’s driver, who died in the collision, was identified as 62-year-old M.M.D. Pangyaratne, a resident of Pothuhera, police said.
They said that according to the evidence of the engine driver the bell was ringing and red light was on when the vehicle came onto the track at around 5.15am.
They said that given the engine driver’s statement the driver of the car could have suddenly lost consciousness or have accelerated instead of applying brakes or tried to speed across the track thinking he could beat the train.
“We only see that an easily avoidable accident has taken place. If the car driver was alert and aware of the train such an accident could have been avoided. Carelessness is the main reason for such accidents,” police said. Mr. Hettiarachchi said that when he had brought the train to a stop he, the guard and commuters had to break open the car to attempt to rescue the man inside.
The man had head injuries and was bleeding, and was taken to the Polgahawela station and admitted to the area hospital immediately but was pronounced dead on admission.
The accident was one of 16 vehicle-train collisions in the past 20 days.
This year, so far, 312 deaths were reported in railway-related accidents, mostly at crossings. The figures show a near 30 per cent increase in train accident deaths over the corresponding period last year.
In the first 10 months of last year, 244 people were killed in railway-related accidents, the Assistant Superintendent of the Railway Protection Force, Gonsal Wez Sumith, said.
Most accidents were due to carelessness and lack of attention to the signals and not looking at both sides of the track before driving across.
Mr Sumith said 48 people had been fined Rs. 25,000 each for damaging to railway crossing gates while trying to speed across the tracks in advance of an approaching train.
“The vehicle drivers believe that if they survive once while crossing the rail track when the gates are closing they can do it a second time – unfortunately they end up being hit by a train,” he said.
Meanwhile, on Friday a family of three fell from a train moving away from Enderamulla station. “The family was seated on the footboard,” Mr. Sumith said. All three were taken to Ragama hospital in critical condition with broken limbs.
A man fell from a train along the way between Dematagoda and Kelaniya on Thursday night.
Railway authorities have proposed to the Road Development Authority (RDA) that road bumps be constructed 100 feet from crossings to slow down vehicles approaching rail tracks.
An expert on transport and road safety, Professor Amal Kumarage, said Sri Lankans pay very little respect to road safety and traffic laws.
He said vehicles are hit by trains when drivers ignore signals or are distracted by noises or because they are using mobile phones at the time, and the same applied to pedestrians.
People must keep mind that if hit by a train there is no second chance, warned Prof. Kumarage, who lectures at the University of Moratuwa.