📈 New Speed Cameras: Shift Toward Digital Enforcement

Sri Lanka has introduced advanced, US-made speed cameras to combat a persistent road fatality rate of 11.2 per 10,000 people. While the technology marks a significant public investment, experts emphasize that road safety must supersede revenue generation to be effective. • Overall Impact & Data Between 2020 and 2024, the country recorded 118,697 accidents and 12,322 deaths. Economic losses from road crashes are estimated at US$ 3 Bn annually, roughly 3% of GDP. • Technological Capabilities The new laser-based cameras can detect speeds and capture high-resolution images of license plates from up to 1.2 km away, even at night. These are integrated with the Traffic Violation Management Software launched in early 2025 to automate fine issuance. • Critical Policy Recommendations To ensure the ICT/BPM and digital infrastructure investments succeed, the following shifts are urged: Independent Oversight: Camera locations should be data-driven, not officer-selected. Transparency: Advance signage (500m) and a 10% speed buffer (e.g., enforcing 55 km/h in a 50 km/h zone) to ensure fairness. Digital Processing: Transition to postal/electronic fines to eliminate roadside stops, which reduce corruption risks and secondary accident hazards. • Sector Context Effective enforcement is vital for the tourism and logistics sectors, ensuring safer transport corridors. However, success depends on moving away from manual, selective enforcement toward a tamper-proof, cloud-based system.