Sri Lanka makes seat belts mandatory for expressway bus passengers
(Photo by Dithira Hettiarachchi on Unsplash)
From today (September 1), all passengers traveling in passenger transport buses on Sri Lanka’s expressways are required to wear seat belts.
This regulation follows a gazette notification issued on August 31, 2025, making seat belts compulsory for bus passengers on expressways. Earlier, on August 1, 2025, the rule was introduced for all passengers in light vehicles, including those in back seats.
Chairman of the National Council for Road Safety, Manjula Kularatne, said legal action will be taken against anyone who violates the regulation. However, a three-month grace period has been given for vehicles that are not yet fitted with seat belts.
On August 30, 2025, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake, explained that this measure is part of the “Clean Sri Lanka” program.
He also noted that while seat belts previously cost about Rs. 2,000, prices have now increased to between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 7,000, and emphasized that the Consumer Affairs Authority must keep this increase under close watch.
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