You’re running out of road, traffic chief warns errant motorists
Published:Friday | May 17, 2019 | 12:18 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
Head of the police’s Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB), Assistant Commissioner of Police Calvin Allen, is warning motorists who have retrofitted their vehicles with flashing lights, and public transport vehicles with heavily tinted glass blaring loud music, that they will continue to face increased pressure from the police
“We are focusing on these motorists, including motorcyclists who drive their vehicle without helmets. I am saying their days of indiscipline are numbered,” Allen said at Wednesday’s signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, who have come together to execute a six-month public education campaign to boost road safety.
Allen told The Gleaner that since the start of the operation, PSTEB has prosecuted close to 1,000 breaches in relation to tints, removing them and ticketing offenders of public transport.
He noted that the operation is being supported by the Island Traffic Authority.
“We are also dealing with the various types of illegal lights we are now seeing on public and private vehicles, some of which are extremely dangerous to oncoming motorists. Along with the Island Traffic Authority, we have done some night operations, and will ramp up the frequency of these operations, which are geared towards treating with these illegal acts,” he said.
In the case of motorcycles, which are the cause of 31 per cent of road deaths in the island since the start of the year, Allen said a comprehensive review of current regulations governing the sale of these vehicles is needed.
“It is the only engine-propelled vehicle operating on the roads without any safety device. Meaning that while cars have airbags and seat belts, the only safety device that can be associated with motorcycles are helmets and common sense,” he reasoned.
“I am one of those who believe that we should have laws that speak to the fact that a motorbike must never be sold without a helmet, and we are also looking at what is coming out of the new Road Traffic Act, where a person who is going to drive a motorcycle will also go through the similar rigours as if you are applying for a driver’s licence to operate a car.
“We, however, continue to prosecute for the non-wearing of helmets, but we want the law to be far more stringent in terms of dealing with those issues. And so I will be asking those with the legislative power to do what is needed, and we are looking forward to the [regulations] of the new [Road] Traffic Act, because in there are stuff to clean up our streets,” the traffic chief added.