Cabinet approves increase of fines on motor-traffic offences

That cabinet has approved the increase of minimum fines to be imposed on several motor-traffic offences to Rs.25,000.

Accordingly, a minimum fine of Rs.25,000 will be imposed for driving without a valid driving license, driving without a valid insurance cover and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The decision has been made following the drastic increase of motor-traffic accidents and the elevated death-toll resultant from accidents. 

Additionally the fines for underage driving, speeding, over taking from the left and reckless driving will be increased to Rs.2500. 

The proposal brought forward by the Minister of Transport Nimal Siripala de Silva was approved by the cabinet today (10).     

“It has been proposed to increase fines for 7 traffic offences to Rs. 25000.00 in 2016 for reducing the No of road accidence but with the opposition made by bus associations and three-wheel associations, a committee of officials has been appointed by the President, and the proposal made by the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva, to implement following recommendations of the said committee was approved by cabinet of Ministers.”
 
•    Increase of fine for following offences to Rs. 25000.00 
-    Driving without a valued driving license.
-    Deploying persons without driving license in services
-    Driving under the influence Liqueur and drugs 
-    Access of vehicle in to a railway road unsafely 
-    Driving a vehicle without a valued insurance cover.

•    Revision of fines for following offences

-    Speeding 
(Spot fines, according to the percentage of over speeding as followers)
    Up to     20% - Rs. 3000/=
         20% - 30% - Rs. 5000/=
        30% - 50% - Rs. 10000/=
Beyond 50% - Rs. 15000
-    Overtaking from left side (minimum spot fine to be increased to Rs. 2000/=)
-    Driving with disregard to other people 
(A minimum fine of Rs. 10000/=)
-    Reckless driving
-    (A minimum fine of Rs. 10000/=)
-    Driving by underage persons
(Increase the exiting fine of Rs. 5000/= to 30000/=)
-    A minimum fine of Rs. 2500/= for offences not stated in Motor Traffic Act.

•     Impose a spot fine of Rs. 2000 for use of Mobile phones while driving.

•    Accelerate the implementation of marking process for drivers.

•    Installation of CCTV Cameras in places with recurrent accidence for taking information for punishing offenders.

•    Prompt implementation of the proposal to use electronic payment method to charge spot fines.

•    Properly demonstrate speed limit boards in highways and expressways.

•    Implement a combined time table or a suitable arrangement on running of SLTB and private busses.

•    Establishment of regulatory institutions for regulation of three-wheelers and School transport Vehicles.

•    Establishment of an efficient public transport services.

•    Use of high-tech tools to minimize irregularities of some law enforcing officers and to improve transparency of law enforcement.