Breaking Barriers: Driving License Access for People with Disabilities
New Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Sri Lanka Persons with disabilities in Sri Lanka are now set to gain greater mobility and independence as they can apply for driving licenses under new provisions. This significant development was announced by Parliamentarian Sugath Wasantha de Silva, who highlighted the removal of long-standing barriers that previously prevented individuals with hearing or speech impairments, as well as those with partial visual capacity, from obtaining licenses. The move follows years of discussions aimed at ensuring that the country’s 1.6 million people living with disabilities can fully participate in society. MP de Silva, who also serves on the advisory committee to the Ministry of Transport, emphasized that one of the main challenges had been the lack of proper medical certification and the absence of vehicle adaptations for various physical conditions. He noted that over 400,000 hearing and speech-impaired citizens have already demonstrated t...