Seat belts mandatory for all vehicles on Sri Lanka expressways from September 19, 2026

Sri Lanka Police says the seat belt law for all drivers and passengers travelling on the country’s expressways will be strictly enforced from September 19, 2026, as the grace period ends.

Director of Traffic Control and Road Safety, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manoj Ranagala, announced the measure during a media briefing.

He said every passenger travelling on an expressway must wear a seat belt. The prescribed fine for violating the regulation is Rs. 1,000.

SSP Ranagala said there is also a legal provision to impose the Rs. 1,000 fine on passengers travelling without seat belts on buses operating on expressways.

Under the relevant legal provisions, the vehicle owner, driver and passenger may each be held responsible and fined for failing to comply with the requirement.

SSP Ranagala stressed that the public should clearly understand the importance of wearing seat belts.

He said the measure was introduced to protect lives, as fatalities involving people who were not wearing seat belts during accidents have increased rapidly in recent times.

Meanwhile, National Council for Road Safety Chairman Manjula Kularatne said the grace period given to vehicles without seat belts to have them installed will end on September 19.

The requirement for all occupants of vehicles travelling on expressways to wear seat belts was introduced under Gazette Extraordinary Notification No. 2455/29, issued on September 25, 2025. Legal action will be taken against those who fail to comply after September 19, 2026.