37 drunk drivers arrested in Colombo

19 September 2011 01:04 pm

Police arrested 37 persons for driving after consuming alcohol during a major operation carried out in Colombo during the last few days. The license of the persons was suspended for three months. SSP Maxi Proctor said that these raids were carried out to prevent road accidents mainly caused by drunk drivers.

The operation was carried out following two accidents which were reported in the Colombo area caused as a result of drunk drivers.

“To avoid such accidents and unnecessary loss of lives similar raids will be conducted throughout all the police divisions,” he said.

The raids were carried out under the directions of Colombo DIG Anura Senanayake. The persons arrested were produced before the Colombo Traffic Magistrate courts and were each fined Rs.5,000.

Meanwhile the police department has also detected a rise in road accidents due to bicycles using roads without tail lights and reflectors in recent times. Therefore the police is to conduct more patrolling in the main roads in the cities and suburbs to monitor cyclists as well as drunk drivers.

Therefore the traffic police are preparing to carry out an awareness programme about the necessity to have tail lights or reflectors in bicycles on October 1, especially for cyclists.

The investigations into the motor accidents of the past few months reveal that most of them were caused due to cyclists riding in the night without lamps and tail lights.

The traffic police said that stern legal action would be taken against those riding bicycles without lights and tail lights in the night following the end of the awareness programme. (Supun Dias)