Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that preventing road accidents should be approached not merely as a legal obligation but as a personal responsibility to save lives while efforts must be undertaken with awareness and dedication, not just adherence to rules and regulations.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while attending the inauguration ceremony of the awareness program held at Royal College, Colombo on road safety titled ‘Take Care – Let’s Be Safe on the Road,’ organized jointly by the Clean Sri Lanka Program, the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, and Sri Lanka Police.
Police officers should conduct awareness sessions on road accident prevention for school children and distribution of equipment necessary for school transport safety to 25 selected schools across 25 districts was taken place under the patronage of the Prime Minister.
Addressing the event, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
This is another significant initiative under the Clean Sri Lanka Project. Road accidents have become a major national crisis. The tragic reality is that most of these incidents are preventable if we have the will and dedication.
About seven people die every day due to road accidents. We must stop this tragedy. Every deceased, disabled, or injured victim of road accidents is a citizen of this country. They are someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, or child. When someone becomes a victim, the whole society is affected. The statistics on accidents are not just numbers—they carry deep stories and pain.
Preventing road accidents is not only about obeying laws. It’s about thinking of others, acting with empathy, and treating the preservation of life as our own duty. We need to build a society that functions with compassion and responsibility. That is the kind of beautiful country the government is striving to create.
It is important that education must come before punishment, setting an example must precede enforcement of the law, cautious before precede accusations. Parents must set a good example, drivers must be committed to saving lives, children must be given a clear understanding of traffic rules while the police must prioritize public education before enforcing laws.
The event was attended by Presidential Additional Secretary Mr. Rassel Apponsu, representing the Clean Sri Lanka Program, Chairman of Independent Television Network Mr. Priyantha Wedamulla, Principal of Royal College Mr. Athula Wijewardhana, officials from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka Police, Department of Motor Traffic, as well as teachers and students representing schools from across the island.
