Police still pushing for increase in fines for traffic offences

The traffic department of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) continues to lobby for policy changes that would see not only an increase in the number of ticketable traffic offences but also an increase in the fines those offences attract.

With the proposal on the table since 2020, Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent, Ramesh Ashram told the News Room on Monday that he was still pursuing the possibility of working with the relevant authorities to have the changes made.

“The police can only recommend, we cannot increase it. We just recommend to the relevant authorities and they will look at the documents and it is for them to consider,” he explained.

The Traffic Chief reminded that the Force is still finalising its proposal with a tentative recommendation to raise traffic offence fines to $25,000. The current fines for traffic offences range from $5,000 to $7,500.

The Traffic Chief had said previously that these fines fail to serve as a deterrent to persons who could afford to pay them. As a consequence, those persons go on to continuously break the law.

Ashram also suggested that new offences should be added to the ticket book as well.

Following is a list of offences for which traffic tickets may be issued:

* Driving Uncertified Motor Vehicle – Section 15

* Driving Motor Vehicle Without a Driver’s Licence – Section 23 (1)

* Failing to Produce a Driver’s Licence – Section 23 (2)

* Refusing to Declare Present Address – Section 23 (3)

* Breaching of Conditions of Provisional Licence – Section 25 (2)

* Speeding (Exceeding Speed Limit) – Section 34 (1)

* Permitting More Than One Trailer to be Drawn – Section 41

* Failing to Stop When Required by Police in Uniform – Section 43 (3)

* Leaving Motor Vehicle in Dangerous Position – Section 59

* Driving Motorcycle without Safety Helmet – Breach of Reg. 3 (1) and (3) of the Motorcycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations – Reg. 19 of 1972, Cap. 51:02)

* Driver Carrying Pillion-Rider without Safety Helmet – Breach of Reg. 3 (2) and (3) of the Motorcycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations – Reg. 19 of 1972, Cap. 51:02)

* Failing to Exhibit Certificate of Fitness – Reg. 13

* Failing to Exhibit Licence for Motor Vehicle – Reg. 16 (1)

* Unlighted Motor Vehicle (front) – Reg. 34 (1) (a)

* Unlighted Motor Vehicle (rear) – Reg. 34 (1) (b)

* Unlighted Motorcycle/Bicycle (front) – Reg. 35 (a)

* Unlighted Motorcycle/Bicycle (rear) – Reg. 35 (b)

* Unlighted Animal Drawn Vehicle (front) – Reg. 36 (a)

* Unlighted Animal Drawn Vehicle (rear) – Reg. 36 (b)

* Failing to carry Lamp on Hand-cart during Hours of Darkness – Reg. 37

* No Parking Brakes – Reg. 52

* No Reflecting Mirror – Reg. 57

* No Warning Appliance on Motor Vehicle – Reg. 59

* No Silencer – Reg. 60

* No Efficient Automatic Windscreen Wiper – Reg. 64

* No Efficient Speedometer (hire car, motor lorry, motor bus) – Reg. 65

* Unnecessary Sounding of Horn – Reg. 108

* No trailer to be drawn by Bus/Hire Car – Reg. 119?

* Carrying more Persons than the Permitted Number – Reg. 164 (1) (a)

* More Persons on the Front Seat than the Number Fixed to be carried thereon (hire car/motor bus) – Reg. 164 (1) (b)

* Conductor (overload) – Reg. 164 (1) (a), (b) and (2)

* Conduct of Driver and Conductor (breach) – Reg. 166

* Stopping within 30 feet from any Corner – Reg. 190 (e)

* No Efficient Brakes on Bicycle and Tricycle – Reg. 194

* No Warning Appliance on Bicycle and Tricycle – Reg. 195