• Police explain implementation process 
• 48cc mobikes must be registered 

Drivers who accumulate 30 demerit points under the newly introduced traffic offence points system will generally face a one-year driving licence suspension, Deputy Inspector General of Police for Traffic Control and Road Safety W P J Senadeera said yesterday (22).

Speaking on a television programme, he said drivers would receive SMS alerts as they approach the 30-point limit, informing them of the points deducted and the points remaining. Once they exceed the threshold, a further SMS will notify them that their driving licence has been suspended.

Drivers must hand over their licences to the Police within seven days of receiving the notification. The Police will then forward the licences to the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT), together with a special form.

Senadeera said discussions were underway on the implementation of the system, under which drivers reaching the maximum points limit would generally face a one-year suspension. Failure to surrender a licence within the stipulated seven days would mean that the suspension period would be calculated from the date the licence was eventually handed over, extending the effective period of suspension.

However, drivers may be able to reduce the suspension period from one year to three months by completing a training course approved by the Motor Traffic Commissioner General.

The system covers 47 traffic offences, with up to seven points assigned to serious offences such as dangerous and reckless driving. Where a driver commits several offences at the same time, points will be deducted only for the offence carrying the highest penalty.

The system had not been implemented previously due to the absence of a proper mechanism to administer it. Under the new arrangement, only Police officers above the rank of Police Sergeant will be authorised to enter demerit points into the system.

Meanwhile, the DMT has warned that motorcycles with an engine capacity of 48 cubic centimetres (cc) must be registered before being used on public roads, despite claims by some sellers that registration is unnecessary.

DMT Director General Thushara Indunil Fernando said riders using unregistered motorcycles on public roads could be fined if caught by the Police.

The warning follows reports that some sellers have been telling customers that 48 cc motorcycles are exempt from registration. Buyers have been advised to verify registration requirements before purchasing such motorcycles and ensure compliance with the law before using them on public roads.