Seat belts mandatory for all expressway passengers from Sept. 19

Sri Lankan police will require all drivers and passengers travelling on expressways to wear seat belts from Sept. 19, a senior police official said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Manoj Ranagala, director of Traffic Control and Road Safety, told a media briefing that police would strictly enforce the requirement.

Anyone travelling without wearing a seat belt could face a fine of 1,000 rupees, he said.

The law also allows authorities to fine passengers who fail to wear seat belts on buses operating on expressways, Ranagala said, urging the public to recognise the importance of the safety measure.

Authorities introduced the requirement to protect lives amid a sharp rise in fatalities linked to the failure to wear seat belts, he added.

Chairman of the National Council for Road Safety Manjula Kularatne said the grace period granted to vehicles without seat belts to install them would end on Sept. 19.

The requirement will take effect under Gazette Extraordinary No. 2455/29, issued on Sept. 25, 2025.