ROAD SAFETY COUNTRY PROFILE
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Sri Lanka
South Asia
Sri Lanka's Road Safety Country Profile
This road safety country data presents information on all pillars of road safety (management, roads, speed, vehicles, road users, and post-crash care), along with information on the current status for each country and region – with extensive information on key risk factors, issues and opportunities.
THE SCALE OF THE ROAD SAFETY CHALLENGE
Ref: 1 ,2 ,3 ,4 ,5
63%
Percentage of Road Crash Fatalities and Injuries in the economically productive age groups (15 - 64 years.)
3:1
Ratio of Male to Female Fatalities with the 15 - 49 year age group being most vulnerable to fatalities.
598 life yrs.
affected due to disability from road crash injuries per 100,000 people.
Road crash fatalities and injuries snapshot
Country Population, 2016:
20,798,492
Country Reported Fatalities, 2016:
3,003
WHO Estimated Fatalities, 2016:
3,096
GBD Estimated Fatalities, 2016:
2,811
WHO Est. Fatalities per 100,000 Pop., 2016:
14.9
Estimated Serious Injuries, 2016:
46,440
Cost of Fatalities and Serious Injuries, 2016:
$4,001 million
Cost as % of country GDP, 2016:
4.9%
4 Wheeler #689ad0 37,30,32
2 or 3 Wheeler #e08344 21,25,20
Cyclist #a5a5a5 5,7,6
Pedestrian #f6c243 35,37,41
Other #4e72bf 2,2,1
Sri Lanka
Mean in Region
Mean in MICs
Positioning of Country in Region (Compared to Countries with the Lowest Traffic Fatalities in the Region and Globally)
2016 WHO Estimated Road Fatalities
2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities
2016 WHO Estimated Fatality Rate/100,000 pop.
2016 GBD Estimated Fatality Rate/ 100,000 pop.
% Trend in Fatality Rate/100,000 (2013-2016)
Motorization Registered Vehicles/100,000 pop.
Sri Lanka
3,096
2,811
14.9
13.09
-4.8%
32,673
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Maldives
4
32
0.9
7.25
-4%
21,737
Pakistan
27,582
52,708
14.3
25.16
-3.1%
9,499
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
223
334
2.65
3.89
-5.4%
71,182
Singapore
155
197
2.76
3.53
-4.9%
16,604
Norway
143
215
2.72
4.09
2.4%
75,544
Sweden
278
390
2.83
3.88
-3.2%
62,037
2016 WHO Estimated Road Fatalities
Sri Lanka
3,096
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Maldives
4
Pakistan
27,582
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
223
Singapore
155
Norway
143
Sweden
278
2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities
Sri Lanka
2,811
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Maldives
32
Pakistan
52,708
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
334
Singapore
197
Norway
215
Sweden
390
2016 WHO Estimated Fatality Rate/100,000 pop.
Sri Lanka
14.9
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Maldives
0.9
Pakistan
14.3
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
2.65
Singapore
2.76
Norway
2.72
Sweden
2.83
2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities
Sri Lanka
13.09
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Maldives
7.25
Pakistan
25.16
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
3.89
Singapore
3.53
Norway
4.09
Sweden
3.88
2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities
Sri Lanka
-4.8%
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Maldives
-4%
Pakistan
-3.1%
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
-5.4%
Singapore
-4.9%
Norway
2.4%
Sweden
-3.2%
2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities
Sri Lanka
32,673
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Maldives
21,737
Pakistan
9,499
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
71,182
Singapore
16,604
Norway
75,544
Sweden
62,037
Ⅰ. ROAD SAFETY MANAGEMENT
Ref: 1
To produce positive road safety outcomes, strong management in all aspects of road safety is key. Presence of a funded lead agency to guide the national road safety effort and implement a Safe Systems approach is recommended.
Sri Lanka has a lead agency present, National Council for Road Safety (NCRS), Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, which isn't funded in the national budget but has a road safety strategy which is partially funded. The functions of the agency include coordination, legislation and monitoring and evaluation of road safety strategies. The country has both a fatal and non-fatal road safety target, to reduce fatalities by 50% with a timeline of 2011 - 2020.
Ⅱ. SAFE ROADS AND ROADSIDES
Ref: 1 ,4
Business Case for Safer Roads
Infrastructure and Speed Management Investment required:
$2.23 billion
Annual Investment as a % of GDP (2019-2030):
0.21%
Reduction in fatalities per year:
1,476
Approximate reduction in fatalities and serious injuries (FSI) over 20 years:
320,000
Economic Benefit:
$19.91 billion
B/C Ratio:
9
Ⅲ. SAFE SPEEDS
Ref: 1 ,6 ,7 ,8
Maximum Speed Limits and Enforcement
National Speed Limit
Speed Enforcement
Manual
National Speed Limit
Speed Enforcement
Manual
URBAN ROADS
RURAL ROADS
MOTORWAYS
Current Speed Limit
50 km/h
70 km/h
100 km/h
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed
+20 km/h
Appropriate
+10 km/h
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits
4 times lower
Low Risk
1 times lower
URBAN ROADS
Current Speed Limit
50 km/h
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed
+20 km/h
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits
4 times lower
RURAL ROADS
Current Speed Limit
70 km/h
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed
Appropriate
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits
Low Risk
MOTORWAYS
Current Speed Limit
100 km/h
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed
+10 km/h
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits
1 times lower
Major Speed Calming Measures Being Implemented
Narrowing
Horizontal Deflections
Include lane narrowings by extending sidewalks, curb extensions, pedestrian refuges etc.
Used to make vehicles swerve slightly, include chicanes, pedesrian refuges, chokers etc.
Vertical Deflections
Block or Restrict Access
Include speed bumps, humps, cushions, tables, raised pedestrian crossing, variation in ride surface etc.
Include median diverters, closing streets to create pedestrian zones,cul-de-sacs etc.
Narrowing
Include lane narrowings by extending sidewalks, curb extensions, pedestrian refuges etc.
Horizontal Deflections
Used to make vehicles swerve slightly, include chicanes, pedesrian refuges, chokers etc.
Vertical Deflections
Include speed bumps, humps, cushions, tables, raised pedestrian crossing, variation in ride surface etc.
Block or Restrict Access
Include median diverters, closing streets to create pedestrian zones,cul-de-sacs etc.
Ⅳ. SAFE VEHICLES
Ref: 1 ,8
6,795,469
total registered vehicles as of 2016
71%
motorized 2/3 wheelers as of 2016
Country Compliance to the UN Vehicle Safety Regulations
Frontal and Side Impact (Reg. 94, 95)
No Restrictions Regulation of Import of Used Vehicles
Motorcycle Anti-Lock Braking System (Reg. 78)
No Import Age Limit
Pedestrian Protection (Reg. 127)
No Taxation Based Limits
Electronic Stability Control (Reg. 140)
Yes Import Inspections
Seat Belts and Anchorages (Reg. 16, 14)
No Periodic Inspection
Frontal and Side Impact (Reg. 94, 95)
Motorcycle Anti-Lock Braking System (Reg. 78)
Pedestrian Protection (Reg. 127)
Electronic Stability Control (Reg. 140)
Seat Belts and Anchorages (Reg. 16, 14)
No Restrictions Regulation of Import of Used Vehicles
No Import Age Limit
No Taxation Based Limits
Yes Import Inspections
No Periodic Inspection
Ⅴ. SAFE ROAD USERS
Ref: 1 ,8
National Seatbelt, Drink Driving and Helmet Laws (WHO, 2016)
National Seatbelt Law
Motorcycle Occupant Age Restriction: Not restricted
Driver
Legal Minimum Driving Age: 17 yrs.
Front
National Drink Driving Law
Back
Is Law BAC Based?
Motorcycle Helmet Law
Random Drink Driving Tests
Helmet Standards
% of Road Crach Fatalities Involving Alcohol: Unknown
National Seatbelt Law
Driver
Front
Back
Motorcycle Helmet Law
Helmet Standards
Motorcycle Occupant Age Restriction: Not restricted
Legal Minimum Driving Age: 17 yrs.
National Drink Driving Law
Is Law BAC Based?
Random Drink Driving Tests
% of Road Crach Fatalities Involving Alcohol: Unknown
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Limits (g/dl)
General Population
<0.08
Young Drivers
<0.08
Professional Drivers
<0.08
General Population
<0.08
Young Drivers
<0.08
Professional Drivers
<0.08
Ⅵ. POST CRASH CARE
Ref: 1 ,8 ,9
Good post-crash care reduces deaths and reduces disability and suffering for road crash survivors. The emergency medical care system elements and processes need to be effective to attain this objective.
National Emergency Care Access Number: Partial Coverage
Traume Registry System: Some Facilities
Country Health Coverage Index - SDG Target 3.8; Target - 100: 62
Expenditure on Healthcare as % of GDP: 4%
Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018. World Health Organization;
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). GBD Results Tool. Seattle, WA: IHME, University of Washington, 2015;
Serious injuries have been calculated assuming a ratio of 15:1 (15 serious injuries for every death). This estimation broadly falls in the range of 30:1 in high income countries to 10:1 in low- and middle-income countries as crashes tend to be more fatal in the later context.
Vaccines for Roads, International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP). Available from https://www.vaccinesforroads.org/;
World Bank Databank for Development Indicators;
M.H. Cameron, R. Elvik. 2010. Nilsson's Power Model connecting speed and road trauma;
Austroads. Balance between harm reduction and mobility in setting speed limits;
UNEP-ITC Background Paper on Used Vehicles Globally and Various Media Sources (Wikipedia and vehicle import websites);
2018 World Health Statistics, WHO.