Over 130,000 new driving licences issued in five months

Irangika Range

Transport Deputy Minister Rohana Kumura Dissanayake told the Daily News that a number of driving licences issued last year and during the first half of this year have seen a massive increase following the tax concession on the imports of vehicles. Accordingly, the Motor Traffic Department had issued 133,767 new driving licenses during the period from January 1 to May 31 this year.

Therefore,it is reported that around, around 150 new drivers enter the roads every hour in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, an average of 26,754 new driving licences are issued monthly while 1,216 new driving licences are issued daily except Saturdays and Sundays. A total of 273,443 driving licences, including those seeking renewal and an extension of driving licences were issued in the past five months.

“Meanwhile, 608 licences of errant drivers had been canceled due to various offences in the first five months of this year,” the Deputy Minister said.