• On drivers under the influence of drugs, expressway seat belts

Directives enabling drivers suspected of taking drugs while driving to be checked are to be submitted to the Parliament for approval. 

The provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act stipulate that when a person is suspected by a Police officer of driving under the influence of drugs, it should be legal to present such a person to a medical officer of the Government. 

However, provisions have not been issued to determine the method and manner in which such an investigation could be conducted, nor the amount of drugs to be considered as proof that he or she has taken drugs. Therefore, Motor Vehicle (Drug) Directive Number 1 of 2025, under the provisions of the said Act (203 Authority), has been published by the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2452/40 dated 4 September 2025, enabling drivers suspected of taking drugs to be checked. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Acting Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to submit the aforementioned directives to the Parliament for approval.

Meanwhile, the directives prepared under the said Act, making it compulsory for passengers travelling on expressways to wear seat belts, are also to be submitted to the Parliament for approval.

The Motor Vehicles Directive (Expressway) No. 02 of 2011, formulated under the said Act, has been amended by the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2455/29 dated 25 September in order to minimise the deaths and severe injuries that have occurred due to the daily increase in accidents on the expressways. Therefore, wearing seat belts for every passenger traveling in every seat of the vehicles passing on the expressway has been made compulsory. Accordingly, the Cabinet has approved the proposal presented by the Acting Minister to submit the aforementioned directive to the Parliament for approval.