The Cabinet of Ministers has approved two key directives under the Motor Vehicles Act as part of its continued effort to strengthen road safety and legal enforcement mechanisms.

These measures aim to address rising concerns over drug-impaired driving and passenger safety on expressways, paving the way for more structured and accountable transport regulations.

Firstly, the Cabinet has approved the proposal presented to submit to Parliament for approval the Motor Vehicle (Drug) Directive No. 1 of 2025, under the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act (203 Authority), enabling drivers suspected of taking drugs to be checked. 

According to the government, the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act stipulate that when a person is suspected by a police officer of taking drugs while driving, it is legal to present such a person to a medical officer of the government. However, provisions have not been issued to determine the method and manner in which such an investigation could be conducted, nor the amount of drugs to be considered as proof that he or she has taken drugs. 

Therefore, Motor Vehicle (Drug) Directive No. 1 of 2025, under the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act (203 Authority), has been published by Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2452/40 dated 04-09-2025, enabling drivers suspected of taking drugs to be checked. 

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Acting Minister of Transport to submit the aforementioned directives to Parliament for approval.

Secondly, Cabinet approval has been granted fro the submission of the directives prepared under the Motor Vehicle Act making it compulsory for passengers traveling in vehicles driven on the expressways to wear seat belts. 

According to the government, the Motor Vehicles Directive (Expressway) No. 02 of 2011, formulated under the Motor Vehicle Act (Section 203 Authority), has been amended by the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2455/29 dated 25-09-2025 to minimize the deaths and severe injuries that have occurred due to the increase in accidents on the expressway. 

Therefore, wearing seat belts for every passenger travelling in every seat of the vehicles passing on the expressway has been made compulsory. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Acting Minister of Transport and Highways to submit the aforementioned directive to Parliament for approval. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Transport has announced new seatbelt regulations for heavy and light vehicles in a bid to mitigate road accidents and improve road safety in Sri Lanka. 

Accordingly, all bus drivers are required to wear seatbelts while plying on all roads with effect from today, 01 July 2025.

Wearing seatbelts will be mandatory for all rear seat passengers of light vehicles travelling on expressways from 01 August 2025.

It will be mandatory for passengers in all seats of all vehicles to wear seatbelts while travelling on expressways from 01 September 2025.

The new regulations are being implemented as part of the Transport Ministry’s 85-point proposal to ensure road safety in Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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A 22-year-old man has died after sustaining serious injuries in a crash, despite the airbags deploying, due to not wearing a seatbelt, police said.

The accident occurred when the victim’s vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a wall near the Gagula Dewalaya in Panadura while he was on his way home.

He was rushed to the Panadura Base Hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

A medical officer who examined the body confirmed that although the airbags were deployed, the victim suffered severe injuries because he was not wearing a seatbelt. (Newswire)

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