Seat Belts Now Mandatory for All Expressway Passengers

COLOMBO, September 19, 2026 — All passengers travelling in vehicles on Sri Lanka’s expressways are now required to wear seat belts, with the regulation coming into effect from midnight on September 18.

The requirement applies to both front and rear-seat passengers travelling in vehicles on expressways and follows regulations introduced by the authorities approximately one year ago.

Although the regulations were introduced last year, enforcement was delayed to allow vehicle owners sufficient time to install seat belts for rear-seat passengers in vehicles that were not equipped with them.

The one-year period granted for installing the required rear-seat seat belts has now ended, paving the way for the mandatory requirement to come into effect.

Accordingly, all passengers travelling on expressways are required to wear seat belts while the vehicle is in motion.

The measure is aimed at strengthening passenger safety and reducing the risk of serious injuries in the event of road accidents on Sri Lanka’s expressway network.