In a shocking disclosure, police yesterday said that at least 578 people have been killed and 1270 seriously injured due to accidents in the country so far this year up to March 28.

Police Headquarters said within the 24-hours ending 6.00 am yesterday 11 people were killed and 23 were injured due to road accidents reported in various parts of the country.

Two people including a woman were killed and seven injured when the car they were travelling in collided with a bus transporting garment workers in the Navagamuwa area in Kaduwela, police spokesman Ajith Rohana said.

Two people who were seriously injured are receiving treatment at the ICU of the National Hospital.

In Kegalle, two people were killed and six injured due to a collision between a van and a private bus in the Millangoda area on the ColomboKandy main road.

The bus was bound to Panadura from Kandy. The injured were rushed to the Kegalle General Hospital. In Narammala, a 24 year old youth succumbed to his injuries when the motorbike he was riding with his friend lost control and toppled on the Katupotha-narammala road. The victim who was the pillion rider succumbed to his injuries soon after admission to the Kurunegala General Hospital.

One person was killed and two others were injured when the trishaw they were travelling in plunged into a precipice in the Haggala area on the Badulla-nuwara Eliya main road.

In Ambalangoda, one person was killed when the van he was driving collided head on with a boom truck in the Akurala area on the Ambalangoda-galle main road. The 43 year old victim had succumbed to his injuries before being admitted to the Balapitiya Hospital.

A 22 year old trishaw driver succumbed to his injuries when his trishaw rammed into a lorry that was parked in the Maradankadawala area on the Girithale-batticaloa main road.

Two others who were with inside the trishaw were also seriously injured. The victim was a resident of Hakuranmulla area in Ambalantota.

In Hambantota, a 35 year old woman who was the pillion rider succumbed to her injuries when the motorbike she was riding with another person collided head on with a car in the Gonnoruwa area on the Hambantota-tissa main road. The car driver and the motorcyclist are now undergoing treatment at the Hambantota Hospital.

An 86 year old person was killed when he was knocked down by a trishaw in Thihagoda on the Hakmana-matara main road. The victim was a resident of Kirinda.

In Mapalagama, a 28 year old youth succumbed to his injuries when he lost control of his motorbike and crashed into a car. The incident was reported in the Yatamalwatta area in Galle.

“Recklessness, exhaustion, driving under the influence of alcohol and the fact that drivers and pedestrians were not obeying traffic signals are the main reasons for accidents. Pedestrians failing to use zebra crossings were another reason why they were knocked down by vehicles,” nals are the main reasons for accidents. Pedestrians failing to use zebra crossings were another reason why they were knocked down by vehicles,” SP Rohana said.

Last year, 1750 persons lost their lives due to road accidents and the highest number of victims was pedestrians.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka