News
Hilly terrain holds dangers for careless bus drivers
Scenes from last Sunday's accident (above and right) when a private bus returning from Sri Pada went off of a cliff at Norton Bridge, killing three. Pix by H.M. Sudath Hewa
Several road traffic accidents — some deadly — in the central hills have involved bus drivers unfamiliar with the terrain, the police said.
The most recent one was last Sunday when a private bus returning from Sri Pada went off of a cliff at Norton Bridge, killing three people. The driver was arrested, produced in court, and remanded until March 1.
A group of youth employed in factories in the suburbs of Colombo had organised a pilgrimage to Sri Pada and had set off on February 18. They were returning the following day when the bus fell off of a cliff as it tried to negotiate a sharp bend at Norton Bridge between 8:45 pm and 9:15 pm. The injured are in hospitals including the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital and the Kandy Hospital. Two have suffered damage to their spinal cord.
The road the bus driver took is narrow. At one point there is a sharp bend and a culvert on the side of the road. There was no mist that day. Even though it had rained, the ground was not wet enough to cause such an accident, the police said.
Police investigations suggest that the driver had been speeding. It has also been revealed that the driver had been annoyed that the young pilgrims had not returned on time for departure.
A few years ago, proposals had been made to widen the narrow road. After some initial work, the project stalled.
The police said heavy vehicles use the narrow road and some drivers manage to navigate it. However, bus drivers who usually do not travel on these roads could cause accidents.
The Norton Bridge police had asked the senior deputy inspector general of police in Kandy to identify dangerous spots along upcountry roads and at least erect used railway tracks as a temporary measure.
The police have now cleared a clump of bushes, which had prevented drivers from observing a bend, especially at night.
The police usually allow only one-way traffic on that road during the pilgrimage season, but not on that day.
Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said this incident was only one of nine such incidents this year, starting with the Nanu Oya crash and those in Pannila, Hatharaliyadda, Mahiyangana, Lakgala, Kolonna and Bandarawela.
SSP Thalduwa said such incidents can be attributed to the unawareness of drivers about road conditions. Other reasons include reckless driving, such as driving at speeds unsuitable for winding roads in the hill country.
| Complaints piling up against speeding, recklessness | |
| Road traffic violations by bus drivers have increased in the post-pandemic period and most violations are observed in Colombo, suburbs, and main towns.Complaints against bus drivers, especially about driving in a dangerous manner, have risen after a drop during the coronavirus pandemic period and the lockdown, according to the National Transport Commission and the police. Overtaking in a haphazard manner, competing to overtake, and picking up passengers randomly are among the most common offences. Prasanna Sanjeewa, the chairman of the Road Passenger Transport Authority – Western Province, said most offences are related to buses heading from Colombo to the suburbs such as Homagama, or villages such as Awissawella. A timekeeper is to be stationed at the start and the destination and also at the centre point of a route, to which buses should report within a specific time. However, bus drivers are known to spend extra time at selected stops and then speed their way through the rest of the journey.  Complaints against bus drivers driving in a dangerous manner, have risen. Pic by Eshan Fernando According to Mr Sanjeewa, buses could be suspended from taking their turns, based on complaints. Some bus drivers who had violated road rules had been observed to be under the influence of alcohol. “There had been some instances where the bus drivers and conductors were suspended due to reckless driving,’’ he said. Mr. Sanjeewa said there were 20 to 25 complaints every day. There were 2,429 complaints in 2022, of which 202 were about reckless driving. In January, there were 200 complaints, of which 27 were about reckless driving. Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said violations by drivers had declined due to lockdowns during the pandemic and the lack of fuel last year. “A bus driver is responsible not only for lives (onboard) but also the families of the passengers. If there are 25 passengers on the bus, it involves 25 families too.” There are social consequences and costs of treating accident victims, which fall on the Government. Then there are costs of police investigations and that of lawsuits. The chairman of the National Transport Commission, Shashi Welgama, said there are 30 to 50 complaints a day about bus drivers. A GPS system is to be introduced to track speeding bus drivers. “Anyone who notices a violation of law committed by bus drivers can immediately report by dialling 1995,” Mr. Welgama said. |
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