Responsible motorists in Sri Lanka have long called for improved enforcement of traffic laws and sought an improvement of general discipline while monitoring. Sri Lanka has long spoken of and piloted the use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance for traffic control. However, only recently has the Sri Lanka Police begun to use CCTV as an effective tool for traffic enforcement, and action has taken place, which is a commendable development by law enforcement authorities.
According to the Police Spokesperson SSP Buddhika Manathuga, legal action has been taken against more than 4,000 motorists who were in breach of regulations and laws based on footage obtained from CCTV cameras installed within the city of Colombo. “Legal notices regarding traffic violations have been sent to the residences of relevant drivers via the nearest Police station to their residence. According to Manathunga, the programme to identify traffic violations through CCTV cameras installed in and around Colombo commenced on 1 February in 2024. Accordingly, as of 20 April this year, legal action, including imposing fines and court proceedings, had been taken against 4,048 drivers for violating traffic laws, he said.
The system, which has been fully networked, is now available for police officers who serve in nearly all the Police stations in the country. “We check the evidence (video) and look up the vehicle’s registration, and through the networked system, dispatch a notice to the vehicle’s registered owner, via the nearest Police station. The owner can visit the closest Police station, view the evidence and act accordingly,” Manathunga told The Daily Morning. He claimed that up to date, no vehicle owner who has received a penalty or charge has disputed the charge and taken the matter to court for resolution. The system has also enabled the Police to detect vehicles where the transfer of ownership has not been carried out properly. Under this programme, legal action has also been taken against owners of 241 vehicles that had not been properly transferred to new owners, which is required by law. The transfer of ownership is mandatory when a vehicle is sold.
While the CCTV system and its networked structure has allowed the Police to act on traffic violations and enforcement, Sri Lanka is yet to induct a system similar to that used in the United Kingdom and Australia, where there is automated system where offending vehicles are automatically identified and fines/penalties issued to the vehicle owner based on a demerit point system. When asked, the Police spokesperson acknowledged that such advanced technologies can be beneficial, especially to improve road safety and rule compliance, adding that he was hopeful that such a system can be introduced with the right regulatory framework and investment in the future.
A networked inhouse CCTV system, when used properly, helps increase the likelihood of an offender being identified, and aids in the successful prosecution of offenders in court. It also contributes to reducing the risk of disruption and cost to business in terms of policing, and when officers have to waste time attempting to takedown and secure roadside CCTV footage from vendors, businesses and private individuals. They are also a powerful investigative tool for the Police when the recordings clearly depict events with sufficient detail to identify the person/persons or vehicles involved in a traffic safety situation or crime. A desirable policing outcome from advanced CCTV system use is the identification of a person’s face at key points such as entries, exits, or sales counters, and to the identification of vehicle licence plates, and details such as the recognition of clothing which helps in solving crime. Such systems also enable detection and monitoring of general activity in public access areas from remote locations, thereby reducing the need to deploy personnel en masse to a public venue. For all of this to happen, the employment and use of CCTV imagery must be done with due planning, troubleshooting and diligence.
According to the Police, a total of 724 fatal road accidents have been reported thus far in 2025, resulting in the deaths of 764 individuals. This year, a total of 1,535 major accidents and 2,699 minor accidents have been reported, as of last Monday (21). Let us hope with better use of technology, and its sound employment by the authorities, Sri Lankan streets become safer and that motorists and pedestrians alike will benefit from such advances.