The Sri Lanka Police are grappling with a shortage of functional traffic speed measuring devices, hampering efforts to curb excessive speeding, a significant contributor to road accidents.
A senior Police officer revealed that most districts have only one or two operational devices, making it challenging to enforce speed limits effectively. The National Audit Office has reported that since the purchase of 25 devices in 2016, no additional equipment has been procured, despite requests for 500 devices between 2018 and 2023.
The lack of equipment is a pressing concern, as excessive speeding remains a leading cause of road accidents. The National Audit Office criticized the Police for not prioritizing the acquisition of these devices to mitigate the risks associated with speeding.
A senior officer from the Traffic Division highlighted the urgent need for at least one speed measuring device per Police division. To address this issue, plans are underway to purchase 50 devices to improve enforcement capabilities.
This shortfall underscores the importance of investing in traffic safety measures to reduce road accidents and ensure public safety.
