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A claim about a new fine for drunk driving has been circulating widely on social media, and we at Factcrescendo have fact-checked its accuracy.
Social Media Posts :
A Facebook post has been circulating claiming that starting today, anyone caught driving under the influence will face a fine of five hundred thousand (500,000) or a two-year prison sentence
These posts have been widely shared among Facebook users, as shown below.
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In response to readers’ requests to verify this claim, we have conducted a fact-check as detailed below
Fact-Check:
No Evidence of New Drunk Driving Law in Mainstream Media
If a new law imposing a fine of five hundred thousand rupees or two years in prison for drunk driving had come into effect today (21), it would have been reported by mainstream media. However, after checking, we found that no media outlet has reported the introduction of such a law.
Official Police Statement: No New Drunk Driving Fines Introduced
Following this, we reached out to the Police Media Division and Traffic Police Division, both of which confirmed that this information is false and that no such amendment to the Motor Vehicle Act has been made.
The official Facebook page of the Sri Lankan Police also posted a statement confirming that this information is false, as shown below
Earlier this year, the police proposed requesting the court to suspend the driving licenses of drunk drivers for one year; however, this has not yet become law. Below is Fact Crescendo’s investigation on this matter in Sinhala.
බීමත්ව රිය ධාවනය කළහොත් රියැදුරු බලපත්රය සදහට ම අහෝසි වනවා ද?
Penalties for Drunk Driving Under Current Legislation
The police have the authority to prosecute drunk drivers in the Magistrate’s Court of the relevant jurisdiction. The court imposes a minimum fine of Rs. 25,000 for such offenses.
Additionally, the driver’s license is suspended for a period of 2 to 3 months. If the same driver is brought before the court for repeat offenses, the fine and license suspension period will be increased accordingly.
Sri Lanka’s Legal Penalties for Driving Under Influence and Causing Harm
According to Section 216 of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act No. 10 of 2019:
Driving under the influence of alcohol carries a fine of Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000, imprisonment of up to 3 months, and suspension of the driving license for up to 12 months.
Under Section 216(a):
Transporting passengers for money or reward while intoxicated can result in a fine of Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000, imprisonment for up to 6 months, or both, along with cancellation of the driving license.
Causing death by drunk driving may lead to a fine between Rs. 100,000 and Rs. 150,000, imprisonment ranging from 2 to 10 years, or both, plus cancellation of the driving license.
Causing minor injuries while driving under the influence carries a fine of Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 50,000, imprisonment for up to 1 year, or both, plus license cancellation.
Causing serious injuries may result in a fine of Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 100,000, imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both, in addition to cancellation of the license.
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Conclusion:
Our investigation confirms that the Police Media Division and the Traffic Police Division have verified the social media posts claiming a fine of five hundred thousand rupees or a two year prison sentence for drunk driving starting today (21) are false
Title:No Recent Increase in Drunk Driving Penalties in Sri Lanka!
Fact Check By: Pavithra SandamaliResult: False
