19% decrease in fatal accidents

THE police are reporting a 19 per cent decrease in fatal accidents and 1,300 errant drivers being ticketed for various traffic offences since the launch of the UTURN Traffic Enforcement, E-ticketing system in May.

The State can expect $1.3 million in revenue from the fines issued to the drivers and front seat passengers who failed to buckle up while commuting in a vehicle. Drivers also incurred four demerit points for failing to adhere to this road regulation.

A release from the police said that road regulation enforcement exercises on Friday led to the Traffic and Highway Patrol Branch’s Road Policing Task Force (RPTF) issuing 126 Electronic Fixed Penalty Notices to drivers for exceeding speed limits, failing to wear seatbelts, driving while using a mobile phone, driving a motor vehicle without an identification light illuminating the registration plate and driving a vehicle at night with one headlight.

The exercises also resulted in the arrest of 12 drivers for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) offences with one driver producing a reading of 119 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – over three times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes of alcohol.

The exercises were conducted along three major highways, namely the Beetham Highway, the Churchill Roosevelt Highway and the Uriah Bulter Highway. Officers also conducted exercises along Main Roads such as the Dinsley Main Road, Arouca, Orange Grove, Tacarigua, and the Caura Royal Road.

The team was led by Senior Superintendent Dominique, Superintendent Gordon, ASP Williams, Inspector Charles and supervised by Sgt Harrylal.

The RPTF, the driving thrust behind the police’s road policing efforts, hopes this will act as a deterrent to drivers, further decreasing the 19 per cent reduction in fatal accidents achieved for 2020. Between January – June, 55 road users died in accidents as when compared to 68 for the same period in 2019.

Police Traffic Safety Co-ordinator Sgt Brent Batson, expressed disappointment that many drivers are still being ticketed for seatbelt offences. He said the police will soon start its “Sit, Click & Drive” awareness programme under the umbrella of its iRoadsafe Education and Awareness Campaign aimed at helping road users practice safer and more responsible behaviour and avoid points n their driver’s permits.