Parliament has approved the end of a grace period for seat belt installation on expressways, making the safety requirement fully enforceable from September 20, 2026.
Seat belt use will become mandatory for all vehicle occupants on Sri Lankan expressways beginning September 20, 2026, following parliamentary approval of regulations that end an extended compliance grace period. The requirement was originally introduced through an amendment to the Motor Traffic (Expressways) Order in September 2025, aimed at reducing road deaths and serious injuries from accidents.
Vehicle owners were initially granted a three-month period ending December 25, 2025, to install seat belts in seats not factory-equipped with them. Following public requests for additional time, this grace period was extended through June 19, 2026. The Extraordinary Gazette No. 2493/19 issued June 17, 2026, formally ended the concessionary period, bringing the measure before Parliament for approval at a ministerial consultative committee chaired by Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake.
Parliament simultaneously approved additional vehicle safety standards applicable to passenger transport services operated by the National Transport Commission, Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authorities, and the Sri Lanka Transport Board, covering passenger, school, office transport and special tour vehicles. Committee discussions noted that mechanical defects and poor vehicle maintenance, alongside driver error, have been identified as contributing factors in serious road accidents. Minister Rathnayake called on MPs to promote public awareness of vehicle safety and proper maintenance among owners and the general public.