Sri Lankan motorists who collect 30 demerit points will have their driving licences suspended automatically under a new system being piloted until 31 March 2027, Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake said.
Speaking at a Parliamentary Ministerial Consultative Committee meeting, Rathnayake said the six-month pilot is meant to penalise drivers who repeatedly break traffic rules. Points will be added to a driver’s record according to the seriousness of each violation.
Drivers whose licences are suspended must surrender them to the nearest police station. The suspension will generally last one year, but drivers who complete prescribed training programmes may have it cut to three months.
Motorists will receive an SMS telling them how many demerit points an offence carries after they pay the relevant fine.
The minister said the aim is not to intimidate motorists but to encourage compliance and improve road safety. The pilot is designed to familiarise drivers with the system before it is fully implemented.
