The government has introduced strict measures to prevent drug-impaired driving, empowering police and medical officers to investigate and prosecute offenders.
The Motor Transport (Drugs) Regulations No. 01 of 2025, issued by Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Ratnayake, were published in an Extraordinary Gazette on September 4.
Under the new rules, police officers can act on a ‘reasonable suspicion’ that a driver or vehicle controller has used drugs. Suspicion may arise from unusual behavior, changes in speech or movement, loss of balance, abnormal eye position, or even the driver’s appearance or clothing.
Based on complaints, officers can conduct tests or preliminary examinations using devices approved by the Inspector General of Police. Motorists are legally required to comply with such tests. Refusal leads to mandatory examination by a Government Medical Officer (GMO) or an authorized hospital officer.
Saliva tests must be conducted discreetly, while medical officers have the authority to request samples of blood, urine, saliva, or other bodily fluids. Failure to provide samples is considered an offence under the Motor Transport Act.
If drug use is detected, the GMO must issue a preliminary report to the police, with a portion of the sample sent to a state-approved laboratory for confirmation. Substances covered include poisons, opiates, Category “B” drugs under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, as well as narcotic and psychotropic substances under the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
Where no drug use is found, the GMO issues a report exonerating the driver. The final report is then submitted to the officer-in-charge of the relevant police station for legal proceedings, if necessary.
