Fatal Rear-End Collision on Southern Expressway Near 162nd Milestone Leaves Woman Dead and Driver Critical

A devastating early morning rear-end collision occurred today (2026/11/02) at approximately 6:30 AM along the Southern Expressway (E01), near the 162nd milestone, resulting in one fatality and severe injuries. According to Expressway Police, a white Toyota TownAce van travelling towards Mattala collided at high speed into the rear of a yellow Ashok Leyland tipper truck moving in the same direction. The sheer impact of the crash utterly crushed the front passenger and driver cabin of the van, destroying the windshield and roof structure completely. Emergency response teams, including the Southern Expressway Fire and Rescue Unit, highway patrol, and ambulance services, rushed to the scene. The female front-seat passenger succumbed to her injuries at the spot, while the critically injured van driver was swiftly extracted and rushed to the hospital for urgent medical attention. Traffic flow was temporarily disrupted before authorities cleared the wreckage to restore normalcy. Road Safety Takeaway: Expressways demand utmost vigilance and adherence to safe following distances. Tailgating heavy vehicles like tippers restricts visibility and leaves virtually no reaction time during unexpected deceleration. Furthermore, early morning drowsy driving or microsleep can prove fatal. Motorists are urged to maintain a 2 to 3-second buffer gap, take regular breaks on long journeys, and immediately dial 1969 for expressway emergencies or 1990 for Suwa Seriya ambulance services in the event of a crash.