That is around 10,000 fatalities a year, says director of the non-communicable diseases unit of the Health Ministry Dr. Thilak Siriwardena.

Of them, 3,000 lives are lost to road accidents, while deaths also occur due to falls, poisoning, drowning, animal attacks and murders.

Last year, road accidents killed 3,111 people, and the figure so far this year is 1,459.

Most of the accident victims are in the 15 to 44 year age group, says Dr. Siriwardena.