Fines for Traffic Violations in Sri Lanka

Have you ever gotten into trouble because of your vehicle? Such instances are not uncommon, right? But if you think a little, the reason for that is your own carelessness. One such instance is being fined for traffic offenses. This isn't about police fines, but court fines. Many people go to court regarding a traffic offense, but in reality, they don't exactly know what kind of fine they might receive for the offense they committed. However, knowing about it beforehand is beneficial. Because if you don't, you'll have to face unexpected problems. Therefore, we at MotorGuide decided to tell you exactly about these traffic fines today.

Traffic Offenses Subject to Fines

Driving at High Speed

This is mentioned in the third section of the 2019 Amendment Act No. 10. If the prescribed speed limit is exceeded by 20%, a fine of not less than Rs. 3,000 and not exceeding Rs. 5,000 must be paid.

If the prescribed speed limit is exceeded by 20% but not exceeding 30%, one will be subject to a fine of not less than Rs. 5,000 and not exceeding Rs. 10,000.

A fine of not less than Rs. 10,000 and not exceeding Rs. 15,000 will be imposed if the prescribed speed limit is exceeded by 30% but not exceeding 50%. If the prescribed speed limit is exceeded by 50%, a fine of not less than Rs. 15,000 and not exceeding Rs. 25,000 must be paid.

Causing Injury to Someone

Imagine, if someone gets injured by your vehicle. Then, a fine of not less than Rs. 30,000 and not exceeding Rs. 50,000, or imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding one year, or both such fine and imprisonment, and the driver's driving license will be canceled. One must also be subject to the penalty of canceling the driving license.

Causing Serious Injury to Someone

If a serious injury is caused to a person by accident, one must be subject to a fine of not less than Rs. 50,000 and not exceeding Rs. 100,000, or imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding five years, or both such fine and imprisonment, and the driver's driving license will be canceled.

Under the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act No. 10 of 2019, the necessary amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act and their impact are specified. The most important thing is that these amendments are effective from 2019.06.20, and the changes made to the main charter under it are mentioned.

Driving Without a Driving License

Let's now look at the revised fines for driving without a driving license.

In the first instance, the minimum fine is Rs. 25,000, and the maximum fine is Rs. 30,000.

In the second instance, a minimum fine of Rs. 30,000 and a maximum fine of Rs. 50,000 must be paid.

Driving Across Railway Tracks Even When Gates Are Closed

A big mistake many drivers commonly make is driving across railway tracks when the gates are closed, without obeying signals or the commands of an authorized officer.

For the first offense, a minimum fine of Rs. 25,000 and a maximum fine of Rs. 30,000, and for the second offense, a minimum fine of Rs. 30,000 and a maximum fine of Rs. 40,000, with the driving license suspended for up to 6 months.

For the third or subsequent offenses, a minimum fine of Rs. 40,000 and a maximum fine of Rs. 50,000, along with the driving license suspended for up to 12 months.

Using a Phone While Driving

Using a phone or any other mobile communication device while driving a vehicle is a common habit for many people. This includes communication devices like earphones and Bluetooth. In this regard, penalties will be imposed under Section 224, and an on-the-spot fine can also be imposed according to Section 215 (a).

Drunk Driving

As stated in Section 216, drunk driving carries a minimum fine of Rs. 25,000 and a maximum fine of Rs. 30,000 and/or imprisonment of either description for up to 3 months, and suspension of the driving license for up to 12 months.

Section 216 (a) mentions the fine imposed for transporting passengers for money or consideration while drunk. A minimum fine of Rs. 25,000, a maximum fine of Rs. 30,000, and imprisonment of either description for up to 6 months, and cancellation of the driving license will occur.

Section 216 (b) (a) states what kind of penalty will be received if a person's death occurs due to drunk driving. In this case, serious punishment will be imposed. Fines of Rs. 1,000,000 - 150,000 and/or imprisonment of either description for 2 - 10 years, and cancellation of the driving license will occur.

Reckless Driving

Dangerous reckless driving results in a fine of Rs. 10,000 - 25,000 for the first offense. For the second offense, a fine of Rs. 15,000 - 30,000 and suspension of the driving license will be imposed. However, no specific period for this suspension is mentioned.

For the third and subsequent offenses, a fine of Rs. 20,000 - 40,000 and/or imprisonment of either description for up to 6 months, and cancellation of the driving license will occur.

Driving Without an Insurance Certificate

Under this, punishment can be imposed with a fine of Rs. 25,000 - Rs. 50,000 and/or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one month.

Furthermore, for the offense of driving without an insurance certificate under Section 136 (4) of the main charter, in addition to the mentioned penalty, the driving license must be suspended for a period of 12 months. This period can only be reduced if there are documented reasons.

Amendment of Section 224 (General Penalty) of the Main Charter

This section mentions how fines are imposed for an offense not mentioned elsewhere.

For the first offense, a fine of Rs. 2,500 - 7,500, for the second offense, Rs. 7,500 - 15,000, and for the third or subsequent offenses, a fine of Rs. 15,000 - 25,000 must be paid.

Not Carrying the Vehicle's Emission Certificate or Fitness Certificate in the Vehicle

Here, punishment should be received under the general penalty (Section 224). Additionally, an on-the-spot fine related to this can also be imposed under Section 215 (a).

This is the real story about traffic fines. The truth is that many people don't know much about this. Sometimes, a fine can lead to many problems. Therefore, you need to know everything about what traffic offenses are subject to court fines and what penalties are imposed for those offenses. So, we hope you have learned every detail about traffic fines from this article.