traffic accident that prompted area businesses to call on Government to implement road safety precautions.

The accident occurred around 9.15 a.m. at the junction of Woodlands Road and DeSilva Close when a 26-year-old motor cycle rider slammed into the side of a turning truck to deliver water to Woodlands Playhouse Nursery and Preschool.

The rider sustained head and internal injuries and remains in the Intensive Care Unit at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in stable condition.

The 33-year-old driver of the truck was not injured, but very shaken up about the incident.

Witnesses to the accident said the rider was speeding and did not have time to react to the turning truck.

Woodlands nursery teacher Eshani Ranasinghe said: "I saw the incident just as it happened. The truck had indicated to turn and he hit the truck and bounced back. The bike just went into pieces.'' Another Woodlands nursery teacher added: "Someone gave way for the truck to turn. I heard the bike coming and heard it strike the truck. Next thing you saw his helmet just flew off.'' The accident occurred during the peak of rush hour and traffic had to be diverted along Serpentine Road and St. John's Road for four hours while Woodlands Road was blocked off.

The detour inconvenienced drivers and limited flow to businesses in that area.

Meanwhile Woodlands Playhouse Nursery and Preschool owner Sabrina Kirby noted that accidents on that particular stretch of road were regular occurrences.

And although her heart went out to the injured rider, she expressed frustration at the fact that motorists did not take enough care when travelling on that road.

"People use this stretch of road as a raceway,'' she said.

Accident sparks safety call "I've notified Works and Engineering about it, because the amount of accidents that occur is ridiculous. Sometimes we have to call the Police to set up radar out there, it gets so bad.'' Mrs. Kirby contended that she had a vested interest in the safety of Woodlands Road, because it not only caused disruption of traffic flowing in and out of the nursery, but also because her grandfather was killed on that road nearly 25 years ago.

"This is really close to my heart,'' she said. "My grandfather was struck and killed when he was coming from his taxi.

"He was knocked clear from one telephone pole to the next. So something needs to be done about this.'' Mrs. Kirby noted that some of the traffic problems stem from the Saltus Grammar School traffic exiting from the base of the hill.

"Woodlands Road is known as a congested area at mornings and afternoons,'' she said. "We objected to the Saltus access because it obstructs the flow of traffic and leads to accidents.'' Mrs. Kirby noted that yesterday's mishap was just another accident in the long history along busy Woodlands Road.

She said there was a petition in the works to get Government to take more safety action along that stretch of road.

"I don't think that a month goes by where there isn't an accident,'' she said. "I think they need to put in speed bumps or a pedestrian or something that will ease the traffic.

"We have A.F. Smith, Butterfield and Vallis, Saltus, Berkeley and us.

Government needs to address this problem before anyone else gets hurt.'' Road Safety Officer Roxanne Christopher responded to the accident and Mrs.

Kirby's concerns and said the Department of Works and Engineering would look into the Woodlands Road traffic issue.

"They are familiar with Woodlands Road,'' she said. "Mrs. Kirby definitely has any support and it shouldn't be a difficult process to see something done in that area.'' She continued: "We need to slow down as a community and especially in that area, because it is a school zone. We are concerned, because it doesn't need to happen.''