Sri Lanka takes action to maintain traffic rules
View(s):Sri Lanka is initiating action to control speeding drivers and growing three-wheeler population, officials said. Local motorists will face legal action if they violate the speed limits on 72 main roads in the country, the Police Department warned.The Police will file cases on motorists speeding on roads that have speed limit signs, Police media spokesman, ASP Ruwan Gunasekera said.
At present, legal action is not instigated against speeding drivers due to a Supreme Court verdict which declared that cases cannot be filed for speeding until speed limit signs are properly placed on the road.However, ASP Gunasekera noted that speed limit sign posts have been erected along 72 roads in the country and cases will be filed against motorists speeding on those roads.
Vehicular traffic congestion and indiscipline driving of motorists as well as flooding of vehicles in the city of Colombo and suburbs have made it difficult for the City Traffic Police to handle the situation.Action will also be taken against three wheeler drivers who resort to zig zag driving for obstructing vehicular movements, he disclosed.The Transport Ministry is considering ways and means to control Sri Lanka’s ever-increasing three wheeler population which has become a major cause for accidents and traffic chaos.
Three wheelers are also being used for many vices, thefts and drug trafficking as well, a senior official of the ministry said.
Chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Control Board, Dr. Chameera Nilanga Samarasinghe told the Business Times that a recent survey conducted by considering a sample of 3,500 three-wheelers has revealed that about 10 per cent of the drivers are drug peddlers.The Board has submitted a proposal to the President to introduce a law limiting the issue of three-wheeler licenses to persons over 25 years of age, he said adding that many young school leavers are being attracted to this easy job.This will soon become a grave social problem unless some action is taken to control this situation, he pointed out.