Traffic offence points system coming soon

Singh made the remarks during yesterday’s police media briefing and urged drivers to think twice before speeding along the roadways, as such errant behaviour could possibly result in the revocation of their driver’s permits. “We’ve noticed that of the 3,701 persons who were issued tickets, several of them were repeat offenders.” Singh said that in order to treat with the issue of repeat offenders, a points system would be implemented by the Ministry of Works and Transport and would be enforced by the police.

PC Brent Batson, road safety coordinator of the TTPS, said that under this penalty system, drivers charged repeatedly with offences such as speeding, breaking red lights and driving while intoxicated, among others, may have their permits seized.

Singh also called on parents to adhere to child seat laws required under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, which states that drivers failing to place children five years and under in child restraints or booster seats in their vehicles face a fixed penalty of $1,000.

Singh also said that while the law applied to all owners of motor vehicles, public transportation vehicles such as registered taxis and drivers of vans are exempted from the law. “Persons with panel vans and public transportation vehicles such as taxis are exempted under the current law.” Batson reminded parents that it is their responsibility to ensure that their children are safely secured when being transported, adding that child safety is not a suggestion but the law.

He also noted that for the year, there has been a 21 percent decrease in the number of road fatalities in comparison with the same period last year and assured the public that while road fatalities remain relatively high, the TTPS remains committed to lowering the number of road traffic accidents and fatalities.

“We will be pushing hard, especially in the last quarter of this year, to ensure that persons are safe.” Shifting focus to Wednesday’s Independence Day celebrations, ASP Michael Pierre, public affairs officer, said that celebrations in Portof- Spain were fairly incident- free, with no traffic accidents or serious injuries being reported.

Meanwhile, Newsday understands that officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force recovered a Ruger 22/40 rifle in Cox Lane, Laventille on Tuesday.

No one was held in connection with the find.

Officers are conducting investigations