News
Unlawful modifications, reckless bus drivers a deadly combo on roads
View(s):By Mimi Alphonsus
The private bus that crashed into a precipice in Malliappuwa in Hatton on December 21 killing three including a 14-year-old boy has stirred a debate yet again about reckless drivers and unlawfully modified buses.
Seven passengers were seriously hurt and 43 suffered minor injuries after the driver appeared to lose control, as seen in a brief CCTV clip.
He is suspected to have been speeding on a winding road.
The driver’s-side door did not have a lock as observed by a motor vehicle inspector, and the impact had ripped all the seats off the floor.
There were illegal metal decorations with sharp edges inside the bus that are suspected to have contributed to passenger injuries.
The bus that crashed in Hatton Pix by Manura Sellahewa
Although the number of deaths has slightly declined, Sri Lanka still has the second highest road accident fatality rate in all of South-East Asia, according to the World Health Organisation. At 11.7 deaths per 100,000, Sri Lanka has more road accident deaths than most others in the region including India, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. In 2023, 2321 people died in motor traffic accidents.
Pedestrians, motorists, and passengers are the biggest victims of fatal accidents, according to the Ministry of Health’s Epidemiology Unit. Drivers are often the least likely to die in a crash. According to a decade of data up to 2019, the most common reasons for accidents were overtaking, diversion, and speeding.
Gemunu Wijeratne, the president of the bus owners association, said that the government must regulate transport. “With lights and loud music these ‘night club’ buses are dangerous as the drivers are distracted,” he said. “What is more, they add generators inside the bus to keep the lights going, which is a fire hazard.”
He complained that police corruption is enabling speeding and unsafe overtaking while the lack of drug testing and inspections raise accident risks.
The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) checks state-run buses, but these account for less than 1/4th of the total bus fleet in Sri Lanka. Nearly 20,000 private buses operate with no oversight.
Due to the severity of the problem, a WHO initiated “decade of action” in Sri Lanka via a master action plan in 2011. But very few of the strategies have actually materialised and the “decade” of action has been extended to 2030.
Only 50% of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) budget had been used according to a 2023 audit. The Road Development Authority did not carry out road safety audits, and as officials at the NRSC told the Sunday Times, safety inspections of buses are not done. “We are planning to do it next year,” an official said.
NRSC’s own appraisal of the road safety action plan acknowledged that there was “no coordinated implementation of the strategies” and that the overall effectiveness of actions by the government to improve road safety was “low’’.
Deputy Minister of Transport Prasanna Gunasena told the Sunday Times discussions were underway to bring in laws regulating bus transportation. He said that these regulations will consider the “visibility of the driver,” “noise distractions,” and “rest periods for drivers.” Mr. Gunasena said that the government is aiming for 70% of all travel to occur through public transportation within 5 years, as congestion is creating a lot of time and fuel wastage.
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