Traffic police warn of zero-tolerance approach to enforcing road rules

 

The traffic police have been given the directive to strictly enforce the law as their commander calls for zero tolerance for reckless drivers.

 

Head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB), Assistant Commissioner of Police Gary McKenzie, said a serious stance must be taken to curb increasing road fatalities as a result of senseless behaviour behind the wheel.

 

He was responding to a high-speed early-morning motor vehicle crash along the Salt Marsh main road on the North Coast Highway in Trelawny on Sunday. 

 

Five of the 11 victims died after the driver of the bus with nearly a dozen people aboard failed to properly maneuver a corner. 

 

It's reported that the bus veered towards the right, hit multiple palm trees, overturned several times then came to a halt after it crashed into a concrete pole. 

 

Rescue teams from the Falmouth Hospital and Trelawny Fire Brigade managed to remove the injured. 

 

About seven victims were taken to hospital; at least three of them remain in serious condition. 

 

Providing an update on the ongoing probe, ACP McKenzie said the days of leniency are over and lawless motorists can expect to face the full force of the law. 

 

"What we aim to do is to do a complete profile on the driver as well as having some tests done as to whether or not alcohol or other drugs were in the person. We know that the road at that time was dry and that the conditions were fair. But what was very unfortunate is that the entire area from Trelawny straight down to St. James, I would say, was inundated with police officers. As it relates to speeding, the question of the alternative to complete prosecution shouldn't be the choice. We have to rule out discretion. We have these crashes that are causing multiple deaths because of drivers' indiscretion and high speed. And so driving at excessive speeds, failing to keep left, improper overtaking should not be offences that people get chances for," said the PSTEB head. 

 

He was a guest Monday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106 FM.

 

The police patrol teams were deployed as part of safety measures for the 49th regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, as well as a concert being held at the nearby Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium.

 

ACP McKenzie said 15 people have died along the Trelawny section of the highway alone since the start of the year, indicating the need for a firm response from the authorities. 

 

Meanwhile, Vice Chairman of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) Dr. Lucien Jones, who supports the hardline stance, is reiterating that the same attention given to reducing crime must also be given to curbing speeding and reckless driving. 

 

He said sanctions and systems must work together to ensure motorists move with care on the roads.

 

"If we're not careful we're going to end up more than last year. The sanctions are critical. The sanctions are not many. You either get a ticket. If you don't pay the ticket at the courts, then a warrant can be issued for your arrest. That's one issue. Your licence can be suspended if you accumulate too many demerit points, if you are found drinking and driving - and many people who are driving under the influence of alcohol, also speed. So there are a number of things that we can do in terms of sanctions. We just have to apply them unilaterally without any kind of compassion because we have a set of people in Jamaica who are intent and driving too quickly," he pointed out.

 

He was also a guest on the Morning Agenda on Power 106 FM.

 

As at July 4, 189 people have died in road crashes resulting from 169 fatal collisions. 

 

That represents a 6% reduction when compared with a corresponding period last year. 

 

St. Catherine, St. Andrew, St. James and Westmoreland contributed 51% of the total road fatalities for the first three months of the year.