Strict enforcement of Carriageways Law in Colombo

Carriageways Law to be strictly enforced in Colombo ....

from 26th morning tomorrow 

Drivers and pedestrians must be on the lookout!

What is stated by a media announcement

conveyed by the Police Media office is that from tomorrow (Nov. 26), from morning 6 onwards, the police would strictly enforce the Carriageways Law (divided highway) covering all sections of Colombo. The police had tried out this Carriageways Rule previously last April.

The police informed that they would look into this rule tomorrow particularly on the route Sri Jayawardenepura, on the road leading from Jayanthipura to Colombo tomorrow and a bigger contingent of police officers would be recruited along this route. Apart from this this the Law would be in operation from routes that could be accessed to Colombo too, the announcement further states. While heavy vehicles including buses and lorries are to be driven on the left-hand side, they could divert to the right-hand lane only when overtaking. The police have mentioned that they would be vigilant about the manner in which motor cycles switching over to other lanes unnecessarily and how the motor cyclists would make a manoeuvre in the case of bends. While all vehicles inclusive of motor cars should stick to their lane and when taking a bend at special points or proceed straight tries to attempt to change over to another lane at the last moment such as a junction intersecting three roads or junction intersecting four roads without being in the relevant lane would be considered by the police of violating a Carriageways Rule. In the same way, attention would be focused on driving along broken lines, straight lines or dual lines.

It is the contention of the police that the cause of traffic congestion and increase of road accidents is reckless and careless driving because of deviating from the relevant lane. The police had mentioned that they anticipate more complaints against drivers violating road rules and against pedestrians who cross the road from irrelevant places and that legal action would be instituted action against them in courts.