Fines For Traffic offences should be increased not Rs 2500 but Rs 25,000 – Rajitha

Delivering the Budget speech , Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said, “Road accidents claim more and more lives daily. Most of the accidents are due to the traffic violations. I propose to increase fines for traffic offences and to increase the minimum fine to Rs 2,500.”

Addressing a workshop, conducted for bus and three-wheeler drivers, with the objective of reducing road accidents, Senaratne said  road discipline is very vital to develop a country.

 Hence,  he justified  the increase of  minimum fine of Rs 2,500 in the budget proposal suggested that it be increased to Rs 25,000.

He added that the fine of Rs 2,500 was for severe offenses such as driving without a licence and driving by an underage person.

Therefore, increasing it to Rs 25,000 would compel  people to drive carefully.

Senaratne added that at present most deaths were due to the Non Communicable Diseases and road accidents, therefore initiatives must be taken to reduce such death.