The authorities are taking steps to implement the demerit system for driving licenses, which was announced this year with effect from next year. This is certain to be a novel experience to both drivers and vehicle owners. According to the latest reports, the relevant Cabinet paper is being prepared and is scheduled to be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval in January.
Despite the fact that the demerit system has long been under discussion in Sri Lanka, in reality, there is a severe lack of knowledge about this system among the people, including drivers who should be more aware of it than others. This has been amply proven through the discussions that The Morning has had with drivers and also through discussions on social media platforms regarding this plan. In this context, it appears that the authorities are trying to proceed with this system with only legal and other forms of approvals and guidance, but with little awareness creation among drivers.
It is crucial to understand that this system is unlike other traffic laws or regulations that aim to merely punish drivers who violate traffic laws. This is more of a system that aims to deter reckless driving and to promote self-discipline among drivers, and therefore, requires the informed participation of drivers to a great degree. Against this backdrop, if drivers lack knowledge and understanding of how this system will operate, and most importantly, how their driving licenses would be affected in the event of the reduction of merits through this system, that is a major lacuna that needs to be urgently addressed. The fact that this is a rather new system to most Sri Lankan drivers is also a reason as to why some level of awareness is essential. Ideally, there needs to be a pilot project to understand these gaps and to improve this system to suit Sri Lanka’s situation, and also, have a discourse to discuss the drivers’ concerns regarding the same.
However, despite this obvious need, the authorities seem to have prioritised legal and other approvals for this system, and there seems to be little to no attempts to raise awareness among drivers and vehicle owners about these aspects of this system.
According to the authorities, this system is aimed at, among others, reducing deadly road accidents through discouraging drivers from driving recklessly. Under the circumstances, achieving the long-term objectives of this system depends significantly on the drivers’ active and informed participation, and the lack of awareness among vehicle owners and drivers is a matter that requires urgent attention. At the same time, given the novel and technical nature of this system, it could be assumed that the implementation of the demerit system requires a considerable financial investment. Therefore, if this programme fails to achieve the expected outcomes due to the lack of knowledge among vehicle owners and drivers, that would result in a financial loss as well.
Demerit systems for driving licenses have borne fruit in many countries through discouraging repeated reckless driving, and many countries have taken measures to assess the practicality of such systems before implementation. For this system to not just be another law, the Sri Lankan authorities should also evaluate the environment in which it is scheduled to be implemented.