Five people were killed in separate road accidents reported from several parts of Sri Lanka, police said, according to NewsFirst.
A motorcyclist died near the 58km post on the Baduraliya-Matugama Road when a lorry turning into a vehicle yard collided with his motorcycle, which was travelling in the opposite direction.
A pedestrian standing at the roadside in the Rathmalgahaella area on the Ampara-Bibile Road was struck and killed by a motorcycle. The dead man was a 36-year-old resident of Rathmalgahaella, and the motorcyclist has been arrested.
A woman riding pillion was killed when a private bus collided with the motorcycle she was on, near the Kegalle Court Complex on the Colombo-Kandy Main Road.
A passenger in the rear seat of a cab died at the 16th Mile Post on the Badulla-Mahiyanganaya Road after the driver lost control and the vehicle veered off the road and overturned.
In the fifth case, a three-wheeler travelling towards Welimada on the Hali-Ela-Welimada Road struck a person crossing the road. Police said the 73-year-old victim was seriously injured and later died after being admitted to Badulla Hospital.
Context
The deaths come on the same day Parliament was told that road accidents killed an average of 2,536 people a year between 2021 and 2025, with a further 32,483 injured annually. Deputy Minister Hansaka Wijemuni said treating those injuries costs between 3% and 5% of annual gross domestic product.
Motorcycles were involved in three of the five collisions reported on Tuesday. Two of those killed were pedestrians, struck while standing at or crossing the roadside.