Police launch Special Traffic Initiatives to reduce Road Accidents

The first initiative focuses on vehicles with altered ringtones, flashing lights, loud horns, noisy silencers, and other illegal modifications that increase accident risks.

The second initiative will involve undercover officers who monitor traffic violations, particularly by public transport bus drivers.

The pilot programme, running from yesterday (January 4) to January 19, aims to raise awareness among drivers and the public. During the first phase, officers will educate drivers, issue warnings, and instruct them to remove unauthorized modifications from their vehicles.

Police plan to extend these initiatives beyond the pilot phase, enforcing laws on vehicle modifications and continuing to monitor buses with undercover officers.

Meanwhile, private bus unions have warned the police to follow the Motor Traffic Act and avoid actions that could lead to a bus strike.

The Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association raised concerns about the inspections under the “Clean Sri Lanka” program, particularly the use of plainclothes officers on buses. The association has planned discussions with the Acting Inspector General of Police next week to address these concerns. A strike that was scheduled for next week has been temporarily postponed until the outcome of the talks.

A special report from the Sri Lanka Police shows that 12,140 people have lost their lives in road accidents nationwide over the last five years.

This report was compiled through a study led by Acting Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya and supervised by Deputy Inspector General of Police, the Director of Traffic Control and Road Safety,  H.A.K.A. Indika Hapugoda. Authorities have emphasized the need for adherence to traffic laws and regulations to reduce most of preventable incidents.