AMW together with the Sri Lanka Police have come together to support a ‘Safer Sri Lankan Roads’ initiative, with the objective of making the roads and streets a safer place for all. Police have identified “black-spots” – locations where the highest number of accidents happen and have planned various initiatives to ensure the programme’s success.
In a statement, AMW said approximately 150 accidents are reported daily resulting in the deaths of 5-6 people while over 40,000 people have died in Sri Lanka in road traffic accidents in the last 30 year period.
Last May, President Mahinda Rajapaksa called for a ,Decade of Action for Road Safety and National Road Safety, speaking at a conference attended by some 650 delegates, each ready to show their commitment and support to create awareness amongst people on the magnitude of road related accidents.
Under the joint effort by AMW and the Police, every citizen plays an active role in helping maintain the smooth flow of traffic and safety on the roads. Under the first phase of this initiative, certain areas within the, Kandy, Galle Kurunegala Kalaniya, Anuradapura, Aluthgama, Kegalle, Panadura, Nugegoda, and Balangoda areas were identified as these potential black-spots. In these locations, AMW and the Police planned and implemented a series of educational programmes for O/Level and A/Level students on various aspects of road safety. Some 500 traffic warden jackets were also distributed among 60 schools while parents, school van drivers and pedestrians were also engaged in the programme, which saw a total of 25,000 people taking part.
There were mock demonstrations on various road accidents and the prevention of such accidents that were conducted by Traffic Police personnel, with the most recent demonstration being carried out at Lindsay Balika Vidyalaya – Bambalapitiya Junction. |
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