21yo succumbs to injuries sustained in Malé accident

The youth seriously injured in a dangerous accident in the capital Malé City, has succumbed.

The deceased has been identified as Mohamed Leevan, 21.

Leevan died while receiving treatment for the injuries attained in the dangerous collision, on ventilator support.

Speaking to RaajjeMV, an official at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) revealed that Leevan died at around 1am, on Sunday.

The accident occurred at around 12:53am on Thursday, when a motorcycle and car collided on the outlying road of the capital city, Boduthakurufaanu Magu.

Maldives Police Service (MPS) revealed that they have received reports of a car and motorcycle colliding at the junction of Boduthakurufaanu Magu and Koimala Hingun.

The 21-year-old who was riding the motorcycle, was rushed to IGMH for treatment.

Photos circulating on social media depict the severe damage to both vehicles involved in the crash, with significant blood visible on the road.

Further investigations are currently underway in connection with the accident.

Dangerous accidents continue to shock the community of the Greater Malé Region and fatalities have been on the rise, of recent.

Accidents have especially been spiraling in the suburbs.

Recently, Hassan Samaah, a 23-year-old man employed at Maldives Correctional Service, died in a fatal collision that occurred near Hulhumalé Central Park late Friday.

Authorities continue to urge members of the public to be more cautious when operating vehicles and not to drive against regulations and not to speed.

Further, the police institution has urged those driving on the bridge to refrain from sudden lane changes and overtaking from the wrong side, to ensure everyone’s safety.

Due to the alarming increase in accidents in the region, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has enforced strict measures to be taken against speeding vehicles.

The president has instructed relevant authorities to take steps to control vehicles speeding illegally, control the use of vehicles that have been modified or are inherently loud when driven, and to protect residential areas.

The implementation of these measures and their results will be closely monitored by the government.

The instructions given to relevant institutions to make Maldivian roads safer include amending laws and regulations to implement strict measures against those who speed, in order to make roads safe for everyone to use, immediately revoking the permission granted by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) on 19 October 2023, for the racing and drifting community to use a specific area in Hulhumalé, immediately stop vehicles exceeding the speed limit and take the driver’s license and vehicle into police custody, as well as amending laws and regulations to prohibit the use of land vehicles above a certain CC (horsepower) on public roads.

Further, the president has instructed to amend the laws and regulations to ban the import of equipment used to modify vehicle silencers to make them louder, in order to prevent noisy driving on roads and to expedite the implementation of the plan proposed by the Maldives Police Service (MPS) to HDC, for organizing and regulating the streets of Hulhumalé. This includes installing speed breakers in 150 areas of Hulhumalé and setting up speed detecting cameras as suggested by the police.

The president also instructed to introduce a graduated licensing system and begin deducting points from the licenses of those who drive vehicles in violation of regulations, as well as to enhance and strengthen the efforts of the MPS in enforcing road laws and regulations more than the current level.