September 07, Colombo (LNW): Four individuals lost their lives in separate road incidents reported from various parts of the country yesterday (06).
The accidents, which occurred in the regions of Maradankadawala, Vellaveli, Kadawatha, and Pudukuduirippu, have prompted renewed concern over road safety and reckless driving.
In the first incident, tragedy struck at Thawalanhalmillewa junction along the A11 route when a car travelling in the same direction collided with a bicycle. The impact left both the cyclist and a pillion passenger injured. They were swiftly taken to Maradankadawala Hospital, but the cyclist—a 37-year-old local resident—succumbed to his injuries shortly after admission.
Elsewhere, along the Vellaveli–Chavalakade road, a motorbike travelling at speed reportedly veered off its path and ploughed into two pedestrians. All three individuals were rushed to Kalmunai Hospital with multiple injuries. Sadly, one of the pedestrians, a 58-year-old from Pandiruppu, was later pronounced dead, despite medical efforts.
A third fatality was recorded on the Dalupitiya–Ragama road, where a pedestrian was struck by a car believed to have lost control while en route to Ragama. The victim, aged 51 and a resident of Ramboda, was immediately transported to the Ragama Hospital. Unfortunately, he was declared dead upon arrival.
Meanwhile, in a particularly chaotic scene in the Pudukuduirippu area, a motorcyclist attempting to turn onto a by-road at Udayarkattuwa was rear-ended by another motorcycle. The initial collision sent the first rider into the path of an oncoming cab. Both riders sustained serious injuries and were taken to Dharmapuram Hospital. The 22-year-old man who initiated the turn, hailing from Mulliyawalai, did not survive the crash.
Authorities have since launched separate investigations into each of these incidents.
