The Hon. Kathiravelu Shanmugam Kugathasan

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I wish to present my views on the regulations under the Motor Traffic Act (Chapter 203) published in Gazettes 2463/04 and 2460/52.

¶ 02 Sri Lanka’s road safety framework is undergoing significant reform by placing before Parliament two sets of regulations: the Motor Traffic (Expressway) Regulations and the Motor Traffic (Drug) Regulations—government responses to evolving traffic risks. According to the WHO, road traffic deaths were 15.2 per 100,000—above the Asia-Pacific average—demanding evidence-based interventions. These 2025 regulations are not mere edicts; they fill long-standing procedural gaps in drug-impaired driving detection and expressway safety.

¶ 03 Key features:

¶ 04 - Expressway Regulations: Regulation 8A mandates seat belts for drivers and all passengers on expressways. Regulation 8B bars entry to expressways for any passenger in a seat without an installed seat belt. Regulation 8 places responsibility on the vehicle owner. Regulation 8I requires the driver’s seat to have a three-point anchorage with upper and lateral protection. Regulation 8E(b) requires at least two anchorage points on front and rear seats depending on seat design. Regulation 8D(1)(b) and (c) mandate seat belts on all rear and middle seats of dual-purpose and light motor vehicles, and in school and office transport vehicles for all seats.

¶ 05 - Drug Regulations: Establish a comprehensive procedure for detecting drug-impaired driving. Based on “reasonable suspicion”—abnormal behavior, altered speech, loss of balance, or appearance—a police officer may commence a test and is empowered to use an approved saliva testing device.

¶ 06 Differences from prior law:

¶ 07 - The 1979 Act No. 31 prohibited drug use while driving but had no precise procedures; officers relied on subjective suspicion and tests were not mandatory. Now, suspicion plus an approved saliva test are mandatory.

¶ 08 - Previously, a Government Medical Officer’s report sufficed without mandatory lab confirmation; now lab confirmation is compulsory.

¶ 09 - Previously, only front seats in light vehicles required belts; now all seats on expressways require belts.

¶ 10 - Responsibility for ensuring belt use now lies with both driver and owner.

¶ 11 - Drunk driving fines rise from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 25,000–30,000.

¶ 12 Concerns raised:

¶ 13 - Private bus owners note ~6,000 pre-2011 buses lack belts; retrofitting is technically difficult and costly.

¶ 14 - Doubts about saliva test accuracy and potential false results; risk of misuse under subjective criteria (studies cite up to 31% issues), and potential police harassment.

¶ 15 Recommendations:

¶ 16 - Implement a welfare fund and subsidies for private transport operators to procure safety equipment.

¶ 17 - Support transitioning old buses to compliant new vehicles as an alternative to retrofitting.

¶ 18 - Amend laws to distinguish medically necessary drugs from illegal narcotics.

¶ 19 - Mandate police body-worn cameras during testing to ensure transparency.

¶ 20 These reforms align with best practices in the UK, Australia and Singapore. They are necessary to elevate transport safety, but must be implemented transparently, with technical and economic realities considered.

¶ 21 Thank you.