A 3-month grace period for installing seat belts in old vehicles

The government has extended the grace period for installing seat belts in old vehicles traveling on expressways by another three months. Minister of Transport and Highways, Mr. Bimal Rathnayake, stated that steps have been taken to extend this grace period through a new gazette notification.

Accordingly, owners of old vehicles that were not fitted with seat belts during manufacturing will receive additional time until September 19, 2026, to install seat belts in their vehicles.

This rule has been introduced making it mandatory for all passengers traveling in both front and rear seats of vehicles on expressways to wear seat belts. The Minister points out that ensuring passenger safety is the primary objective, as vehicles travel at high speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour on expressways. He also mentioned that there is a higher tendency for individuals traveling in rear seats to sustain serious injuries in fatal road accidents occurring on expressways.

Emphasizing that imposing fines on the public is not the government's objective in implementing this law, Minister Bimal Rathnayake reminds that grace periods have been provided on several occasions since September 2025 for installing seat belts in old vehicles. Since vehicle owners have been given nearly a year for this, he urges them not to wait until the last moment and to take steps to promptly install seat belts before the new deadline.

Additionally, the Minister requests all passengers to wear seat belts whenever they are available, as preventing serious injuries can reduce the burden on the government's healthcare system. Since the treatment of passengers injured in accidents is funded by taxpayers' money, the public can contribute to saving lives and minimizing the impact of road accidents through a simple step like wearing seat belts.