Hit & Run

The Transport Ministry will tap one percent of all third-party insurance to start a hit-and-run fund for pedestrians by end of this year.





The Transport Ministry will tap one percent of all third-party insurance to start a hit-and-run fund for pedestrians by end of this year. "We will set up a fund using one percent of all third party insurance for victims of hit and run accidents," said Minister of Transport Felix Perera, on Wednesday at the launch of the pedestrian safety campaign.

The Fund is expected to generate Rs.

40 million annually that will go towards covering hospitalisation costs of hit and run victims.

"We will submit the proposal to set up the fund to Parliament in two weeks time and set up the fund by end of this year," said Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, D S Jayaweera.

According to police records of 2002 – the most recent available - out of the 815 death dealing pedestrian accidents, 122 were hit and run killings mostly by cars and vans.

Police records show that people on foot are the most vulnerable accounting for 37 percent of all fatal road accidents.

In 2002, there were 7,232 pedestrian c