Errant drivers and hit-and-run offenders to face maximum penalties, Minster Ranatunga warns

Maximum fines are to be imposed on errant drivers and hit-and-run offenders, Minister  of Transport and Civil Aviation , Arjuna Ranatunga said.

The Minister further added that aside from levying the highest possible penalties, news laws will be brought into effect to revoke licenses of all drivers who have committed very serious offenses.

Minister Ranatunga made these remarks at an event at the Ministry to award compensation to those who had suffered injuries in hit-and-run road accidents.

Family members of four victims of hit-and-run accidents were provided financial relief worth Rs. 200,000  each, while sixteen injured people from unidentified road accidents were granted Rs. 100,000  each as relief.

"The fines that are to be increased and the licenses that are to be revoked will only be problems for those drivers who break the law. In developed countries for the offences that are committed, licences are revoked from six months to a year dpending on the offence. But we don't have those kind of systems in our country. I expect to introduce such a system in this country in the coming months," Minister Ranatunga said.