Over 12,100 Sri Lankans have died due to traffic accidents in last 5 years

COLOMBO, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan Police on Monday said that 12,140 individuals have lost their lives in traffic accidents over the past five years, between 2020 and 2024.

During this period, a total of 117,970 vehicle accidents occurred, with 11,581 of them being fatal accidents, police spokesman Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) K.B. Manathunga said.

The police attributes vehicle accidents to a variety of factors, including non-compliance with traffic laws, drunk driving, speeding, reckless driving, and individuals driving without proper qualifications.

The police spokesman said that the number of accidents involving buses has been increasing rapidly on an annual basis. As a result, the police are intensifying legal action against individuals who violate traffic regulations on passenger buses.

In response, plainclothes police officers have been deployed on buses to identify and take action against drivers who commit traffic violations, he said.

In addition, the police will soon begin a process, starting on the 19th of this month, to remove modifications from buses, three-wheelers, and other vehicles, which pose a threat to road safety, he said.

This is a part of the government's "Clean Sri Lanka" initiative, he said.