The normal procedure to prevent road accidents has been to apprehend indisciplined drivers and punish them but it has been proved to be ineffective as evident from a report by a Parliamentary Committee which said that in the last decade five to six fatal accidents are reported daily and vehicle damages (as a result of accident) have cost Rs 100 billion.
Picture by J. Weerasekera shows IGP Jayantha Wickremaratne, DIG Nimal Leuke examining a 'hut' in the presence of Caltex CEO Kishu Gomes. |
To reduce or minimise these damages and fatalities, Chevron Lubricants Lanka PLC joined hands with the Traffic Police to launch Caltex Road Star Safety Programme in a bid to inculcate safe driving habits and recognize and reward disciplined drivers.
Kisu Gomes, Managing Director/CEO, Chevron Lubricants introducing this novel road safety programme told reporters at a press conference that the programme has been tested in several other countries by them and proved success.
He said that it will be officially commence in Kalutara on April 29 and is expected to be carried out initially in Galle, Matara, Kandy, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura and. Gampaha, followed by the entire country.
In each of these places officials of Chevron, Traffic Police and Motor Traffic Department will follow randomly selected drivers (without the knowledge of these drivers) and observe their driving to check whether they conform to the rules and regulations to be a disciplined driver. The process will be continued for 10 weeks.
In each area 50 drivers are selected and those adjudged disciplined drivers would be publicly recognized and a token cash reward of Rs 5,000 is presented. Out of all these selected disciplined drivers, 10 best drivers would be selected and they would be offered Rs 1 million personal insurance cover in addition to felicitation and other cash rewards.
Mr Gomes said that the company has earmarked Rs 5 million for the project but said they would have to spend more when the campaign reaches the final stages. He said that this campaign would become an ongoing venture later on. Dr Hector Weerasinghe, Director, Colombo National Hospital and Lucky Peiris, Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) were also associated with the press conference.
Meanwhile in a separate event, Chevron Lubricants Lanka donated security huts to the Sri Lankan Police at a ceremony this week at Police Field Force headquarters in Colombo. |
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