The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to submit the Motor Vehicles (Drugs) Directive No. 1 of 2025 to Parliament for approval.
Under the Motor Vehicles Act, police officers are legally permitted to refer any person suspected of driving under the influence of drugs to a government medical officer. However, until now, there have been no clear provisions outlining the method, procedure, or threshold for determining drug influence in such cases.
To address this gap, the Motor Vehicles (Drugs) Directive No. 1 of 2025—issued under Section 203 of the Motor Vehicles Act—was published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2452/40 on 4 September 2025. The new directive enables the proper medical examination and testing of drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs.
Accordingly, the Cabinet has approved the proposal presented by the Acting Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to submit the directive to Parliament for formal approval.
