The Sri Lanka Police has announced that long-distance buses, mostly travelling at night, will be subjected to random inspection in a bid to minimise bus accidents.
Inspections will be carried out to identify buses driven by individuals who have consumed drugs or alcohol, and those driving recklessly and dangerously, among other traffic offences.
Per a directive from the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Police officers will be deployed at selected places on the main road to inspect vehicles at night, especially long-distance buses.
Police officers on motorcycles have also been authorised to conduct inspections of vehicles under this initiative.
The measures are being taken following back-to-back road accidents involving long-distance buses last week.
In the first incident, 20 persons were injured when a passenger bus fell into a precipice in the Dayaraba area of Welimada on Saturday (10 May).
On Sunday (11 May), 23 passengers were killed when a private bus travelling from Kataragama to Kurunegala veered off the road and plunged into a ravine at Gerandi Ella in Kotmale.
On Monday (12 May), more than 20 people were injured when a private bus veered off the road and crashed in the Aladeniya area in Kandy. (Newswire)
