Sri Lanka will enforce a requirement for all vehicles on expressways to be equipped with seat belts and for all occupants to wear them starting September 19, ending a grace period for older vehicles.
A mandatory seat belt requirement will become fully enforceable on Sri Lankan expressways from September 19, according to traffic authorities. While the regulation has technically been in effect, vehicles that were not originally fitted with seat belts have been operating under a grace period that expires on that date.
From mid-September, all vehicles using expressways must be equipped with seat belts, and drivers and passengers are required to wear them at all times. Senior Superintendent of Police Manoj Ranagala, Director of Traffic Control and Road Safety, stated that enforcement will be strict, with penalties of Rs. 1,000 imposed on those found travelling without seat belts. Legal mechanisms are also in place to collect fines from bus passengers who fail to comply with the requirement.
National Council for Road Safety Chairman Manjula Kulatne confirmed that the grace period for vehicle owners to install seat belts will conclude on September 19. The regulation is being implemented under Gazette Extraordinary No. 2455/29, which was issued on September 25, 2025.
Police cited public safety as the primary motivation for the measure, noting an increase in fatalities from road accidents among individuals who were not wearing seat belts. The enforcement aims to reduce preventable deaths on expressways through greater compliance with safety standards.
