Dr. Chamod Hettiarachi, a member of the Advisory Committee on Highway Safety Measures, identified driver negligence, vehicle maintenance issues, and third-party interference as the three main causes of accidents on highways.
During a press conference held in Colombo yesterday, he revealed that these main statistics and factors affecting accidents on highways were uncovered through a survey report.
The survey indicated that 56% of accidents on highways are due to driver negligence, with 35% of these accidents resulting in fatalities or permanent disabilities, he stated.
In the thirteen years since the construction of the Southern Expressway, 9,375 road accidents were reported, with 5,292 attributed to driver negligence. Dr. Hettiarachi sadly reported that 66 individuals lost their lives, and 637 became permanently disabled in these accidents.
Southern Highway Police Division Director and Senior Superintendent of Police Mayura Perera provided an update on highway accidents during the briefing.
He highlighted that there have been seven fatal accidents on highways in 2024 so far, indicating an increase compared to the previous two years. In 2022, there were 17 fatal road accidents, and in 2023, the number decreased to 4.