‘School Road Safety Clubs’ launched

The ‘School Road Safety Clubs’ initiative was launched in an effort to encourage involvement and behavior modification among students, while also teaching them to be responsible road users.

Under this new initiative, it is planned to assign a teacher to oversee the road safety clubs in each school, to streamline student traffic control, to recognize the President Medal of Road Safety as an additional qualification to earn points for university admission, and to award medals to students who successfully complete the theory and practical sessions of traffic control.

Students who master traffic control knowledge will be eligible to directly take the practical test in obtaining their driving license without sitting the written test once they come of age.

Minister of Transport and Highways Dr. Bandula Gunawardana noted that the loss of eight lives per day in traffic accidents has been a central issue for the nation.

Accidents can be caused by a variety of factors, including reckless overtaking, high speeds, drunk driving, and using a phone while operating a vehicle.

Many accidents are reported each year, including on the expressways. It has been shown that driver irresponsibility accounts for around 56% of expressway accidents, according to a Ministry-appointed committee.

Minister Gunawardana added that measures are in place to reduce the number of accidents during the approaching festive season.

According to the Minister, the formation of ‘School Road Safety Clubs’ will be a successful effort that offers both short- and long-term solutions to the growing number of traffic accidents.

The ‘School Road Safety Clubs’ initiative is a joint effort by the National Council for Road Safety, Road Development Authority, Sri Lanka Police Traffic Division, Department of Motor Traffic, National Institute of Transport Medical and the Central Environment Authority.