Wearing of seat belts will be made mandatory from September 20 for all persons travelling in all seats of vehicles operating on expressways.
The Order published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2493/19 dated June 17, 2026, which was introduced to bring an end to the concessionary period granted for compliance with this requirement, has been approved by Parliament, according to a statement issued by the Department of Communication of Parliament.
The matter was discussed at length at a meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport, Highways and Urban Development, chaired by Bimal Rathnayake, the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development.
An amendment to the Motor Traffic (Expressways) Order dated August 3, 2011, published under Gazette No. 1717/14, was introduced through Gazette Notification No. 2455/29 dated September 25, 2025, making the wearing of seat belts mandatory for all persons travelling in vehicles operating on expressways.
The measure was introduced with the objective of reducing the number of fatalities resulting from the increasing number of road accidents and minimizing the severity of injuries caused by such accidents, the statement said.
Accordingly, a three-month concessionary period was granted from the date of publication of the Gazette notification for the installation of seat belts in seats that had not been fitted with seat belts by the vehicle manufacturer. The concessionary period ended on December 25, 2025.
However, taking into consideration public requests to further extend the concessionary period to allow vehicle owners additional time to install seat belts, steps were taken to extend the period again from March 20, 2026, to June 19, 2026.
The Committee also discussed the inspection of the minimum standards and specifications relating to the technical condition of vehicles used for passenger transport services regulated by the National Transport Commission, Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authorities, or the Sri Lanka Transport Board, the statement said.
This included passenger transport services, school transport services, office transport services, and vehicles engaged in special tours operated on a hired basis, with the objective of ensuring their roadworthiness.
The Orders published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2489/22 dated May 19, 2026, introduced for this purpose, have also been approved by Parliament.
With the increasing number of motor vehicles in Sri Lanka, the need to ensure road safety, environmental protection, and the technical fitness of vehicles has become increasingly important.
During the Committee meeting, it was also noted that studies of road accidents occurring in Sri Lanka have revealed that serious traffic accidents are frequently caused not only by driver errors but also by mechanical defects and vehicle maintenance issues.
The Chairperson requested Members of Parliament to take steps to raise awareness among vehicle owners and the general public regarding these matters, it added.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways; Eranga Gunasekara, Deputy Minister of Urban Development, along with several Members of Parliament and government officials.
