Drivers must keep licence in possession at all times – Police Inspector

Motorists are being reminded that failing to carry a physical driver’s licence or update their address on it can lead to penalties.

Refusing to declare a present address is also a ticketable offence.

Inspector Naresh Khanoo, who oversees traffic in Regional Division Three (Essequibo Islands–West Demerara) recently made this disclosure on the ‘Road Safety and You’ programme.

According to Inspector Khanoo, the law requires drivers to have their licence in their possession at all times while operating a vehicle.

“If you are driving your motor vehicle, at all times you must have your driver license on you so that when you are being stopped by the Police in uniform and you are being asked to produce that document, you must produce it,” Khanoo said.

The driver’s license is one of the documents requested by the Police when motorists are stopped. Driving without a valid licence in hand is a ticketable offence under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act.

Police have also been encountering drivers attempting to show digital copies of their licences on phones.

However, Khanoo clarified that officers may sometimes exercise discretion if they previously verified a driver’s licence, but motorists should not rely on this.

“Producing that document on the phone is not applicable… it’s just a form of flexibility,” he explained.

“If I would have stopped you prior to that date, when you produce the driver’s license on your phone and I am aware that you have a driver’s license and it is in force… shortly after, let’s say a week after I would have stopped you again and you don’t have it, then I could verify that I would have stopped you prior to this and you would have produced that document to me,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Ali attached to the Den Amstel Police station stressed the importance of updating licence addresses.

“If a person is a holder of a valid licence and he or she moves from one address to another, it is required for them to update the same at the Guyana Revenue Authority,” he said.

Authorities are urging motorists to ensure their physical driver’s licence is on hand at all times and that their address is current to avoid consequences during traffic checks.