Sri Lanka Police announced plans to seek court approval to revoke or suspend driving licenses for up to 12 months for individuals arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. The move aims to curb the rising number of traffic offences and enhance road safety.
Urging the public to refrain from drunk driving, the Police highlighted the severity of the issue during a recent special traffic operation. Over a 24-hour period ending at 6:00 am on 26 December, legal action was taken against 395 individuals for driving under the influence.
The special operation also led to arrests for various other traffic violations, including:
- 50 drivers for reckless driving,
- 120 drivers for speeding,
- 1,262 individuals for general traffic violations,
- 682 drivers for offences related to licenses, and
- 5,441 individuals for other traffic-related offences.
In total, legal action was initiated against 7,950 drivers within the reporting period.
The intensified enforcement measures were part of an islandwide special traffic operation launched on 20 December under the directive of the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP). The initiative targets reducing traffic accidents during the festive season, emphasizing public safety and compliance with traffic laws.
