A six-month pilot of a driver demerit point system will begin in October and run through March 31, 2027, Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake said.
During the pilot, police officers will inform drivers how many points they would lose for a traffic offense, but no points will be deducted.
“This is a pilot project to help people get used to the system,” Rathnayake said. “If you commit the same offense after March 31, points will definitely be deducted.”
Under the proposed system, drivers will have a set number of points for a two-year period. More serious offenses will cost more points. “The more offenses a driver commits, and the more serious they are, the faster their points will decrease,” he said.
A driver who exhausts their points could face a temporary licence suspension. Rathnayake said the starting number of points has yet to be decided. (Newswire)