More than 200 driver’s licences should be suspended as authorities move to strictly enforce the demerit point system against repeat traffic offenders.
During an interview with the News Room on Wednesday, Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh said this move should force drivers to take the e-ticketing system and traffic regulations more seriously.
According to Singh, by the end of Wednesday, the process of forwarding information for legal review and formal action against offenders will begin.
“By the end of today (Wednesday), more than 200 persons, I will be taking the information using the demerit point system, which has been in law since 2014, I will be writing for legal advice and proceed to the agency that is the licensing authority to have their license suspended,” Singh explained.
Singh said the legal basis for the action is clearly outlined in existing legislation, which provides for licence suspension once a driver accumulates 10 or more demerit points, whether tickets are paid or challenged in court.
“ I am doing precisely that because it seems as if unless we do these things in a strict way person/s keep taking us for granted,” Singh said.
He noted that licence suspensions are not unprecedented, pointing out that several drivers have already been penalised for serious traffic violations captured through the Safe Road Intelligence System.
“Licenses were suspended previously for dangerous driving and a few other offences… We have at least 21 suspended for period from 6 months to 12 months right now. These are from persons who contested in court and were found guilty resulting in the suspension but the cases emanated from the safe road intelligence system,” Singh further explained.
The pending suspensions, however, mainly involve motorists who repeatedly paid speeding tickets without contesting them.
“200 suspensions pending are for persons who were speeding and their tickets were paid,” he said, adding that some offenders have amassed a large number of violations.
“Some people have as much as 14 tickets paid some as much as 21 tickets,” Singh said.
According to the Traffic Chief, the current list includes drivers with five or more tickets, though many have accumulated even higher numbers.
“200 pending is for persons with five and more tickets for now. These are individuals,” he said.
Singh emphasised that technological improvements now allow the Guyana Police Force to track and consolidate offenders’ records more efficiently.
He added that once the Guyana Revenue Authority is engaged, the listed drivers will be formally notified of the offences, the relevant legal provisions and the period of suspension.
“Once GRA (Guyana Revenue Authority) is engaged the license holder will be notified of the offence committed the law reference the demerit point system and here now their licenses will be suspended for whatever period,” Singh said.
Drivers whose licences are suspended will be required to surrender them and follow a reinstatement process after the suspension period ends.
“Naturally, the licenses have to be surrendered and suspended and when the period is close to conclusion another procedure is engage reinstating that license to be back in force,” Singh told the News Room.
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