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Fines of more than Rs. 200,000 for serious traffic offences
The Transport Ministry will seek Cabinet approval for a revised traffic fine system with high fines for serious offences, including fatal accidents due to high speed, a senior official said.
Transport Ministry Secretary Nihal Somaweera told the Sunday Times the categories on which high fines would be imposed had been identified following a study of the main causes for accidents.
The fines for serious offences will be more than Rs. 200,000.
The fine scheme was revised after strong opposition to a previous plan to increase the minimum fine to Rs 25,000 and it was eventually withdrawn. Mr. Somaweera said fines would also be high for fatal accidents caused by drivers under the influence of liquor and for accidents committed by underage drivers without licences.
Drivers responsible for causing three fatal accidents would have their licences cancelled for life under the new proposal by a five-member committee. All fines for which Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 arebeing currently imposed will be increased to Rs 2,000 under the proposed plan.
The committee which drafted the new fine scheme had representatives from the Finance Ministry, the Transport Ministry, the Motor Traffic Department, the Police and the Attorney General’s Department.