​Police who imposed fines for 23 traffic violations ... now enforce new laws to fine 33 violations from 1​5th

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Police who imposed fines for 23 traffic violations ...

now enforce new laws to fine 33 violations from 1​5th

Police who imposed on the spot fines for motorists in Sri Lanka for 23 traffic violations are to increase the number of traffic violations to 33 while the fine of Rs. 20 has been increased to Rs. 500. In addition, the opportunity made available for the fine to be paid within 14 days has not been changed; but if this fine is not paid within that 14 day period, an alternative has been introduced where the offender has to settle the fine within another 14 days; but double the fine imposed. As such, an
extension of the new police fine receipt too has thus been introduced. 

These laws have been amended recently after it was approved in parliament that the traffic fines amendment act of the motor traffic ordinance which actually is twenty years old should be updated. 

The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation and has thus taken steps to hike up the the minimum fine of Rs. 20 limit to to Rs. 500 and the maximum Rs. 2000 limit to Rs. 3000. At the time Mr. Wijayadasa Rajapaksha wa functioning as Minister of Justice he had appointed a parliamentary committee to amend all ruled prevalent in the motor traffic act to be amended to suit the present day. The new traffic fines have been amended to implement proposals put forward by the committee and is known as 2018 spot fine No. 1 . As such, new amendments have come into force in relation to 33 traffic violations which have been in force in Sri Lanka. Apart from that, traffic violations such as driving under intoxication, causing an accident, causing fatal injury, causing an accident at a passengers' crossing and vehicles colliding with one another exempt from spot fines will be subject fines and punishment by court, as before. 

In the case of instances where a driver violates a traffic rule, the police are allowed to take the driver's driving license into their custody. In such an instance a fine is imposed as permission for fine instead of the spot fine only as a temporary license. The relevant fine in that case has to be paid within 14 days failing which the driver is directed to court. On that occasion he would be subjected to either a fine or punishment or else both as imposed by the magistrate. In this manner 33 violations have been revised as spot fines while the minimum fine previously Rs. 20 for the traffic violation of reversing a vehicle from a by road towards a main road. The said law though was in force several years before this; it may have been justified to impose that fine because of comparatively a minimum vehicles and the number of vehicles in the country at that time was less. However, as a result of over 70 lakhs vehicles being used at present and also considering traffic congestion to be seen on the roads and accidents involved, a new amendment has been enforced for the violation of a motor vehicle moving backwards for a reasonable distance as a fine of Rs. 500. It has been stated under clause 154 of the motor traffic act. According to clause 140 and clause 141, Rs. 3000 has been enforced for not observing speed limits. 

In addition, the following payments are enforced for the undermentioned violations: Rs. 2000 for violating traffic rules, Rs. 2000 for engaging in duties as instructor without an instructor license, Rs. 2000 for not acceding to orders of the police and not being near a motor vehicle parked on the road or failing to take precautions in advance in the instance of the vehicle ceasing to function. A sum of Rs. 500 has been approved in the case of violation of travelling on footboard and permitting such opportunity. A fine of Rs. 500 has enforced in the case of transporting passengers and goods beyond the specified limit while a spot fine of Rs. 500 is enforced for failing to be in possession of emission certificate or fitness certificate. Other than this, a fine of Rs. 1000 is enforced in the case of missing number plate, not displaying the income tax license, driving emergency-service vehicles and public service vehicles for which permission has not been obtained, driving special duty vehicles without a license, driving vehicles transporting chemical items or hazardous items for which permission has not been obtained, not being in possession of the driving license for the specified category of vehicle which is being driven and driving a vehicle without a driving license. 

In the same way, A sum of Rs. 1000 has been enforced on violations relating to violating rules, stopping by the roadside or parking, failing to observe necessary safety precautions in advance of filling fuel, not observing traffic signals, excessive noise from the vehicle, carrying out promotional activities while the vehicle is in motion, not using helmets while travelling on a motor cycle, not fastening seat-belts, carrying more than the allotted number of passengers in the front seat of the vehicle, excessive smoke emission, misuse of warning signals, using signals not suitable for the vehicle and the offence of driving the vehicle beyond control. 

This amended fine act carries 33 spot fines and Dr. Sisira Kodagoda, president of road safety points out that these in fact are rules that were already present in the country and they have been subjected to amendment considered as topical and these rules which were actually   about 20 years old and have been updated. The public gazette has been released in this connection on January 15th under the No. 2054/9. They would be implemented from July 15th.