A Critique on Present Motor Traffic Act of Sri Lanka Based on a Case Scenario

A young male died following the sinking of his car in a deep lake while driving alone. There had been no indication of a collision. Medical experts determined that the cause of death was drowning. Suicide cannot be ruled out as per the manner of death. This article analyses the Motor Traffic Act in light of this case report and makes a few recommendations to address unforeseen issues. According to the Motor Vehicle Act, this is a "Road traffic accident" in every sense of the word, as well as a fatal accident. The Motor Vehicle Act addresses only pure and simple accidents. If negligence results in a person's death or injury, additional legal provisions, specifically the Penal Code, must be followed to punish the perpetrator. In this case, no collision occurred during this incident, and only one vehicle was involved. The case report discusses the interpretation of the Motor Traffic Act, as it is critical to have a broad understanding of legal issues and law in order to provide an adequate service to other stakeholders such as the judiciary and the Police Department.