COLOMBO, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka in 2025 recorded a total of 2,562 fatal road accidents, compared to 2,287 in 2024, a senior police officer said Friday.
According to Police Spokesperson F. U. Wootler, the accidents in 2025 caused 2,710 deaths, 322 more than the previous year. About 85 percent of road accidents in Sri Lanka are caused by issues related to psychological distress, he added.
Other main causes of accidents in 2025 included speeding, drunk driving, fatigue and the use of narcotics, said Wootler.
The spokesperson also noted that several initiatives under the supervision of the inspector general of police will be implemented in 2026 to significantly reduce fatal crashes.
Earlier, Motor Transport Commissioner Kamal Amarasinghe announced that the country will fully implement a demerit point system for drivers in 2026. The move is intended to curb the rising number of road accidents by tracking and penalizing repeat traffic offenders through a digital database. ■