(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The Police have fined over Rs. 140 million from drunk vehicle drivers detected in the first 20 days of the one-month long island-wide campaign to catch drivers who are under the influence of alcohol. This is the highest collection, ever, of drunk driving fines, the Police say.
During the ongoing campaign, the police have so far caught and fined 5,924 drunk drivers under the provisions in the Police Motor Traffic Act, Police Media Spokesman, SP Ruwan Gunasekara told the Daily News.
Among those arrested, are also drivers who drove vehicles without a valid license as well as those caught violating other road rules. The police fines imposed have ranged from Rs. 25, 000 to Rs. 78, 000, the Police Spokesman said. In addition, their driving licenses have also been suspended for periods ranging from three months, to one year and even life-time suspension.
The police launched this island-widecomprehensive operation to net drunk drivers on July 5, through the Ministry of Law and Order, which is under the purview of President Maithripala Sirisena.
Over 5, 000 traffic police officers are participating in the operation. A considerable number of deaths caused by the drunk drivers have been reported in years and the number of injured exceeds 5, 000. Since it has been the policy goal of the Government to find a permanent solution to this tragic situation created by reckless drivers, the police are expected to continue with those operations further.
According to the police, they will take punitive legal action not only against the drivers arrested but, also against anyone attempting to use powerful ‘connections’ to get arrestees released from custody.
Traffic Police officials disclosed that the number of motorists driving under the influence of alcohol has been reduced by around 60 percent due to this island-wide operation.
