The use of seat belts helped prevent serious injuries in a multi-vehicle accident on the Southern Expressway between the Gelanigama and Dodangoda interchanges, Deputy Inspector General of Police W.P.J. Senadheera said.
Mr. Senadheera, who heads the Police Traffic Management and Road Safety Division, said all schoolchildren travelling in one of the buses involved in the crash had been wearing seat belts.
Eight children were admitted to Kalutara Nagoda Hospital following the accident, but none sustained serious injuries, he said.
According to the DIG, seat-belt use also helped reduce the severity of injuries sustained by occupants of other vehicles involved in the collision.
The accident, which occurred at around 6.15 a.m., involved 11 vehicles, including two buses, a cab and several cars. A total of 13 people were admitted to hospital.
Senadheera said the initial collision occurred when a cab travelling from Galle towards Colombo at high speed applied its brakes, skidded and crashed into the roadside barrier.
He urged motorists to reduce their speed when driving in rainy conditions, warning that wet roads increase the risk of vehicles skidding during braking.
