Letters to the Editor
View(s):Recent accidents on expressway show need to address glaring loopholes
These adventurous youth, who put their bodies out – with the shutters of their vehicle down – may not have realized the seriousness of their irresponsible behaviour.
If not for a motorist who seemed to have had a dash camera or another passenger to capture the vehicle in which the errant youth were travelling in, their stupid and dangerous conduct would have possibly gone unnoticed.
Apprehending the suspects appears to have taken a few days, thus exposing the inadequate CCTV coverage on this route, which the Traffic Police must have access to. Installation of an adequate number of CCTV cameras at strategic points, on both sides of the Expressway, is therefore a necessity. Continuous surveillance of such cameras by a specially trained team of Police Officers would no doubt help apprehending those who violate the rules.
The Southern Expressway has been built, at a colossal cost, with money borrowed from the Asian Development Bank and two other banks in Japan and China. Expressways facilitate the general public to reach their destinations much faster, for a reasonable fee, though some others may argue that it is a costly option. Soon after the Sinhala New Year, media revealed that the income from the Expressways had reached a record high this year.
The Road Development Authority (RDA) has all the reasons to be happy and give wide publicity to the record income earned. However, as the premier highway authority in the country, it bears the responsibility of maintaining and developing the national highway network.
In countries such as Australia, warnings signs are being displayed at various locations on highways, to create awareness among motorists that CCTV cameras are in operation. Such warning notices would deter motorists from driving recklessly and putting the lives of all concerned at great risk. The Sri Lankan Traffic Police too could consider displaying such notices prominently, at selected places on the Expressway, so that motorists would drive in a responsible and decent manner, minimizing risks to all parties.
Another matter which got highlighted, as a result of this incident, is the fact that ownership of vehicles is being transferred in violation of rules laid down by the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT). Accordingly, the seller of a vehicle is bound to get a prospective buyer to fill and sign the stipulated forms and submit them, along with a copy of the National Identity Card of the latter, to the DMT within the stipulated period of 14 days by registered post. Failure by the seller to comply with these requirements may make him/her liable for unnecessary complications, in the event the vehicle sold by him is involved in an incident violating the law. It was evident that the vehicle in which these youth were travelling on the Expressway had been sold by the original owner to another, on what is commonly known as “Open Papers”. Thus, the original owner too has made himself liable for prosecution for the failure on his part to abide by the law with regard to the transfer of ownership of his vehicle.
It must also be mentioned that a majority of the drivers are probably not aware of certain precautionary measures they are expected to adhere to when driving on the Expressway. One is the need to maintain a mandatory distance of 50 metres between two vehicles. Multiple accidents were reported from three locations on this route, on the Sinhala New Year day. Presumably, this is due to the fact that there had been an exodus of vehicles on the Expressway. Eight vehicles are known to have been involved in collisions on that day, though luckily no one had sustained any serious injuries.
The first phase of the Southern Expressway from Kottawa to Galle came into operation in November 2011. The number of vehicles entering the Expressway has definitely increased while requirements of motorists may have undergone many changes during this period. Therefore, the RDA, Traffic Police and other authorities must to get together and review all operations connected with the Expressway in order to implement necessary changes in order to meet the current needs.
Nimal Luxshman Via email