ITA begins suspension of driver’s licences

Drivers who have amassed over 10 demerit points in recent years could still face the possibility of having their driver’s licences suspended even if they have gone to traffic court and paid their fines.

In an interview with The Gleaner yesterday, Kenute Hare, director of The Island Traffic Authority (ITA), said a list with over 100 people was recently released by the ITA for a commencement of the suspension of driver’s licences on May 2. These drivers would have been notified through physical mail sent to the address currently on record with the government.

“These are persons who would have violated and who would have paid-up their traffic tickets. These are persons who know they have committed the offence, admitted that they have committed the offence, paid their traffic tickets, so they would have attracted demerit points,” Hare said.

Since the ITA commenced the suspension of driver’s licences, over 100 notices have been issued to people who have accumulated 10 or more demerit points on their driver’s licence record. Those who have accumulated 10-13 demerit points will have their licences suspended for six months; 14-19 demerit points will result in a one-year suspension; and 20 demerit points and over will result in a two-year suspension.

ITA commenced the suspension of driver’s licences in accordance with the Road Traffic Act, 2018 and Road Traffic Regulations, 2022. The notices are being or were served through the physical delivery of registered mail notices to the addresses on record for the offenders.

Change in address

“We are working on it to get the notices out as quickly as possible, and the notices are being served in 10 days in accordance with section 115 of the Road Traffic Act. Section 32 of the Road Traffic Act speaks to the suspension of driver’s licence based on demerit points,” Hare told The Gleaner.

He also reiterates that it is an offence of a driver’s licence-holder to not update the government of a change in address, should they come with the argument that he/she has moved and was not notified of the suspension and need to return their licence to the ITA.

“The Road Traffic Act and its regulations say that you are supposed to update your address with the Tax Office each time you move, so if you changed your address, you are to update your address with the Tax Office. There are consequences and that is why we prefer to encourage people to do it. We want persons to just comply,” Hare said.

With road fatalities in Jamaica decreasing by 12 per cent since the start of the year, when compared to the same period last year, Hare believes that the rate can be further reduced with the May 2 commencement of the suspension of over 100 driver’s licences.

Since the start of the year,149 people have been killed in 136 fatal crashes.

In addition to fatalities decreasing by 12 per cent, fatal crashes decreased by nine per cent when compared with similar period in 2022, while total fatalities projection as at the first quarter projects a decrease of three per cent when compared with 2022.

For years, researchers have linked people who continuously commit road traffic offences to road fatalities and road crashes.

For his part though, Hare is not for this scientifical connection.

Hare said, “We have not scientifically tested that data, and it’s early days yet. We’d have to do statistical tests on that to be able to make that determination, so there is no way we can make a statement on that, because we have not tested that. And we need a body of data for over a period of time to be able to test it out,”

“Our intention is to have those statistical tests being done,” he said.

Hare reiterates that a simple solution is for drivers to “do the right thing on the road”.

ainsworth.morris@gleanerjm.com

Road crash updates since the start of the year:

Pedestrians account for 26 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

Private motor vehicle drivers account for 15 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

Private motor vehicle passengers account for seven per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

Motorcyclists account for 28 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

Commercial motor vehicle passengers account for five per cent of the road users since the start of the year.

Pedal cyclists account for seven per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

Public passenger vehicle drivers account for one per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

Pillion passengers account for three per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

Public passenger vehicle passengers account for seven per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

Vulnerable road users, which includes: pedestrians, pedal cyclist, motorcyclist and pillion, account for 64 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

Passengers account for 21 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.

Males account for 91 per cent and females account for nine per cent of the road fatalities since the start of the year.

St. Andrew account for 16 per cent of the overall road users killed since the start of the year.

St. Catherine account for 12 per cent of the overall road users killed since the start of the year