New Laws with spiked fines to enhance road safety

Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala De Silva will present an Amendment to the Motor Traffic Act, in Parliament on Tuesday, that will introduce enhanced fines and a demerit point system to curb Highway Code violations.

This Amendment comes as accidents continue to increase with close to 20,000 recorded in the first six months of this year, resulting in more than 1,500 deaths.

The enhanced fines will range from Rs 2,500 to Rs 25,000, with first-time offenders charged from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,500, second offence from Rs 3,500 to Rs 10,000, while, from the third violation onwards, the fine will be Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000.

The enhanced fines will apply in relation to 36 traffic offences including driving without a licence, underage driving, failure to wear seats belts, helmets etc., and failure to display the Revenue Licence on the vehicle.

The “driver improvement points” under the present law, will be replaced with “demerit points” and traffic offences for which a driver is liable to demerit points, will be made known by gazette notification by the Minister of Transport, once the law is enacted.

The Amendment will also see the introduction of spot fines, electronic payments and the registration of vehicles used by disabled persons.

Electronic payment will be prescribed once the Amendment Bill gets Parliament approval.

The new provisions also provide for the registration of "vehicles used by disabled persons”, which includes motor vehicles specially designed and constructed, or adapted, for the use of persons affected by some physical defect or disability, and intended solely for the use of such persons. The word “invalid carriage’ which is in the present law, will be substituted with “vehicle used by persons with disabilities”.

There will also be stricter regulations laying down the qualifications necessary and the tests to be conducted, to determine whether a person is fit to drive a motor vehicle loaded with chemicals, hazardous waste, petroleum products, gas or other dangerous goods.

The Amended Law will also allow for more conveniently regulating changes to speed limits and, while motor vehicles cannot be driven at a speed greater than the speed limits prescribed by regulations, motor ambulances, firefighting vehicles and, or, police vehicles while on pursuit in an emergency, will be exempt from speed limitations.

The new Law will also expand the scope of the medical examination prior to the issue of driving licences, to provide for mental alertness, in addition to physical fitness.