Traffic fines increased upto Rs. 25,000

The government has increased traffic fines to Rs. 25,000 which will be implemented for offences such as driving without a valid driving licence, deploying persons without driving licence in services, driving under the influence liquor and drugs, access of vehicle in to a railway road unsafely and driving a vehicle without a valued insurance cover, Cabinet spokesman and Minister Gayantha Karunatilaka said.

The cabinet that met on Tuesday gave the nod to increase the traffic fines drastically on a memo presented by Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva under the provisions of the Motor Traffic Act, he added.

“The revision of fines charged for traffic offences was also been proposed to increase for 7 traffic offences to Rs. 25000 in 2016 in a bid to reduce the number of road accidents but with opposition coming from bus associations and three wheeler associations, a committee of officials was 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 the cabinet,” Minister De Silva told the cabinet in his memo, Minister Karunatilaka said.

Accordingly, fines will also be increased to Rs. 25,000 for speeding. Spot fines, according to the percentage of over speeding as followers: Up to 20% – Rs. 3000, 20% – 30% – Rs. 5000, 30% – 50% – Rs. 10,000, and beyond 50% – Rs. 15,000.

Overtaking from the left – minimum spot fine to be increased to Rs. 2,000, driving with disregard to other people – a minimum fine of Rs. 10,000, reckless driving – minimum fine of Rs. 10,000, driving by underage persons – increase of the exiting fine of Rs. 5,000 to 30,000, Minister Karunatilaka noted..

A minimum fine of Rs. 2,500 for offences not stated in the Motor Traffic Act: impose a spot fine of Rs. 2,000 for use of Mobile phones while driving and accelerate the implementation of marking process for drivers.

Measures to be taken to minimize traffic accidents and nab those who violate traffic law: Installation of CCTV cameras in places with recurrent accidents 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 on highways and expressways, implement a combined time table or a suitable arrangement for the running of SLTB and private buses, establishment of regulatory institutions for regulation of three-wheelers and school transport vehicles., establishment of an efficient public transport service and the use of high-tech tools to minimize irregularities of some law enforcing officers and to improve transparency in law enforcement.