The failure of local bodies to put up sign boards on roads indicating speed limits has left traffic police helpless to apprehend motorists driving at high speeds despite the relevant laws being passed more than one and a half years ago.
This situation has led to an increase in the number of accidents caused by speeding.
Due to the laws not being implemented as local authorities have not taken steps to put up signs boards, most traffic policemen are compelled to charge motorists for reckless driving. However this too can be challenged.
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| The Army vehicle in which Col. Amarasekera was travelling |
In January 2008, the Supreme Court delivered a judgment in a fundamental rights case in which the police were ordered to remove all signboards indicating speed limits. It was found that motorists were confused by signboards indicating different speed limits along the same main roads. Court ordered that traffic behaviour and patterns be observed and speed limit signs put up accordingly on roads in Colombo and its suburbs.
An officer attached to the police all island traffic division, speaking on grounds of anonymity, said that since January 2008, not a single charge for speeding has been made by any City or suburban police station.
“However motorists are being charged for reckless driving,” he said. “We spent millions of rupees purchasing speed guns to catch motorists who are speeding. But now they are collecting dust in the police stations. We can’t do anything until the local authorities put up the proper sign boards,” he said.
On Monday two buses said to be travelling at high speed collided at Hali Ella resulting in four people being injured. Among the injured was a six-year-old child.
On Tuesday morning a bus travelling at high speed from Badulla to Wattekele toppled in an area known as Soranathota Batuyaya resulting in 16 people being injured. Most of the injured were teachers who were travelling to school that morning.On the same day a pregnant woman was killed while three other sustained injuries when a three-wheeler and a van collided at Payagala.
On Wednesday Col. Palihakkara Amarasekara, the commanding officer of the Army 611 division, was killed when his official double cab collided with a police truck.
These are among few accidents which occurred during the past two weeks.
Police Spokesman DIG Nimal Mediwaka told the Sunday Times that there was an urgent need to revise and implement speeding laws. He also said that the local authorities need to start putting up speed limit signs.
“There is a delay in putting up the speed limit signs despite the ever increasing detection of speeding. It is up to the local authorities to take steps to put them up immediately. We are doing our best to crack down on errant motorists but we need the assistance of the local authorities. We also need to educate drivers and society about the situation,” he said.
“We may not be in a position to charge people for speeding. But we are keeping an eye for reckless drivers. Because the relevant signs are not put up, it does not mean we can’t catch errant drivers who are endangering their own as well as the lives of others,” he said.
It is learnt that more than 3,000 signboards are required for all the main road networks and the cost for putting up these signs is said to be over Rs. 70 million.
Local Government and Provincial Council Ministry Secretary Cassian Herath told the Sunday Times that a survey is being carried out on the speed limits for all roads and it is planned to put up the sign boards soon.
“We cannot put up speed limit boards on a haphazard basis. We have to do a survey first. We have now completed a major part of the survey on some of the most important roads and we hope to put up the sign boards soon,” he said.
“There is a delay in putting up the speed limit signs despite the ever increasing detection of speeding. It is up to the local authorities to take steps to put them up immediately. We are doing our best to crack down on errant motorists but we need the assistance of the local authorities. We also need to educate drivers and society about the situation.” - Nimal Mediwaka |
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