Moves to discipline bus drivers commendable but more needs done

Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake is going gung-ho over the mandatory seat belt rule for bus drivers. He has taken it upon himself to board buses and check if drivers are wearing seat belts. Similarly, a few months ago he was seen taking a train ride to see what issues the commuters have, all good on camera but what we can hope for is that this is the start of a real change in the public transport system in the country.  

The National Transport Commission (NTC) announced the mandatory rule for bus drivers to wear seat belts is effective from 1 July 2025. Although the requirement for drivers to wear seat belts has been in force since 1 October 2011, under the provisions of the Motor Traffic Act, non-compliance remains widespread, the NTC said.

Minister Rathnayake said for the past three months, the Ministry has been carrying out awareness programs on this matter and bus owners while finding time and resources to decorate their vehicles, claim they lack the time to install seat belts for drivers.

There are way too many road accidents in the country, many involving buses where scores of people have either been killed or seriously injured due to road accidents. While seat belts are important, not only for drivers but for everyone else to wear, Minister Ratnayake must not miss the more important factors that are essential for road safety, the number one being road discipline. The lack of rest for drivers is another factor.

In the tragic bus accident last month in Kotmale an inquiry into the incident found that driver fatigue caused the accident. This is not the only such incident. There have been a number of such accidents where drivers have been behind the wheel for far too many hours by when they are no longer able to act promptly so as to avoid an accident. This is one area the minister must look into by consulting with private bus owners as well as the authorities in the State sector who handle the roster for drivers. Unless this issue is addressed we will see more accidents.

Discipline on the roads is also of paramount importance. Drivers may wear seat belts but if they continue to break road rules as they do now, there will be no reduction in the number of road accidents. Take the city of Colombo for example, buses plying the 138 route are notorious for reckless driving with no regard for the fact they are driving through congested areas with many pedestrian crossings, schools, offices but they drive with no regard for the safety of road users. Hence there must be proper implementation of road rules by the Police and in the same way that drivers have been told to wear seat belts, they too must be given strict speed limits and lane restrictions.

There was a time that private bus drivers were the only ones who were blamed for rash driving and causing accidents but now the State-owned bus drivers are no better. They are as careless on the roads as the private ones with both sides showing little interest in the welfare of passengers or road users.

Like with many other things in Sri Lanka, we have been going round in circles with regard to the implementation of road rules and this is another attempt to put things right. Politicians face a lot of push back when they try to put the private bus operators in particular in place with threats of work stoppage being used as a bargaining chip. This puts tremendous pressure on the Government which is forced to back down due to fear of losing public support.

Minister Rathnayake is talking tough for now but what needs to be seen is how far he will be able to rein in errant bus drivers as well as bring some measure of normalcy to the roads. This is an urgent need, and it is hoped the Minister will stick to his guns and ensure that not only bus drivers but other motorists too are punished if they break road rules.