Road traffic injuries in Sri Lanka: a call to action

Road traffic injuries and associated deaths have reached epidemic proportions in Sri Lanka, resulting in 2,000 deaths and 14,000 injuries each year. Accurate information on the patterns and trends in fatal and non-fatal outcomes are essential to identify emerging issues relating to vulnerable road user groups. This information is also needed to raise community awareness, prioritize public action, mobilize and allocate resources for intervention, and monitor the impact of road safety programmes. Another important gap relating to road traffic injury in Sri Lanka is the scant data regarding the determinants and consequences of road traffic injuries. It is essential to engage with local communities to understand their concerns and attitudes as well as develop partnerships that can mobilize support and action to address this problem. At the national level, a lead government agency, for example the Ministry of Health, should be identified and empowered to guide and coordinate inter-sectoral road traffic injury prevention efforts. The response must include a systematic approach to assessing the problem and addressing research gaps. The initiatives developed must provide the necessary evidence to develop context-relevant actions that can prevent road crashes and minimize the consequences of road traffic injuries.