An 86-year-old man has died after being run over by his own car during an alleged driving lesson involving a 15-year-old boy in Mawanella, police said.
The accident occurred on Friday night in the Alupatha area along the Mawanella–Aluthnuwara road. According to police, the elderly man had been driving the vehicle before stopping near his residence and allegedly handing over the controls to the teenager to practise.
Investigations revealed that while the owner was walking in front of the car to cross to the other side, the vehicle suddenly moved forward and knocked him down. He was rushed to Mawanella Hospital with serious injuries but later succumbed.
The 15-year-old who was behind the wheel at the time of the accident has been taken into custody. Sri Lanka Police are conducting further inquiries.
The minimum age to hold a driving permit in Sri Lanka is 18 for a light vehicle and motorcycle, and unlicensed driving on a public road is an offence under the Motor Traffic Act. Allowing a minor to drive on a public road can also expose the registered owner to liability.
The fatality comes weeks after Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake set out an official target to significantly reduce road deaths by 2029, under a programme that has emphasised licensing enforcement and driver behaviour as central pillars.
