The Police is to strictly impose the law against all persons travelling in the driving seat or the front passenger seat of a motor vehicle with an English number plate, who fails to wear his/her seat belt with effect from today (October 1, 2011).  
 

The penalty for not wearing the seat belt would be a first conviction fine of not less than Rs.1,000 and not more than Rs.2,000, second conviction fine of not less than Rs.2,000 and not more than Rs.3000 and the third a conviction fine of not less than Rs.3,500 and the cancellation of the driving licence.

 

The police department said that many people die due to road accidents as they have failed to wear the seat belts. Therefore the police are to conduct more patrolling on the main roads of the cities and suburbs to check motorists in order to ascertain if motorists are obeying the new regulations with the implementation of the new law. 

 

The provisions of these regulations will not apply to a person whose height does not exceed 1.5 metres or persons who are exempted from wearing a body restraining seat belt on the recommendation of a Registered Medical Practitioner.

 

Also drivers of vehicles, who hold a valid Medical Certificate signed by a registered medical practitioner stating that it is medically inadvisable for such person to wear a seat belt, need not wear a seat belt while performing maneuvers which include reversing. (Supun Dias)