THE NEW YEAR has started off much the same way 2015 ended with many people flagrantly breaching the laws of the land. We speak specifically of the high incidence of people driving unroadworthy vehicles without road taxes and insurance cover.
There is obviously no regard for the appeals and warnings from the police, messages from Barbados Road Safety Association or dire consequences outlined by insurers. So, we have a situation where a large number of drivers and vehicles are on the roads in clear breach of the motor traffic regulations.
While the public and the insurers will look to the police to seek out and prosecute the culprits who brazenly flout the laws daily, this arm of law enforcement simply cannot do it all.
Dealing with public service vehicles, people running red lights and illegal parking are in themselves taxing. There are other agencies which must ensure our roads are not only safer but that motorists are compliant with all the rules.
We refer specifically to the Licensing Department at the Ministry of Transport of Works and the Transport Authority. They must implement systems, exercise their powers and take action against offenders. They have a responsibility to carry out their tasks fearlessly and daily.
For a start, these agencies must deploy available technology to detect and deal with the uninsured vehicles on our roads. The electronic vehicle registration (EVR) system which uses radio frequency identification technology can maintain an accurate registration of vehicles, including motorcycles. By using this technology nationwide, the relevant authorities would know which vehicles are properly registered and insured.
There should also be testing of exhaust emissions to reduce pollution. Too many vehicles on our roads contravene required standards. The technology to undertake such testing is also available and can be actually used where it matters most, on the roads. For a country committed to a green environment this should be a priority. The Ministry of Transport and Works and the Transport Authority should seek some guidance from Bermuda on the systems which have been proven, tested and trusted on that island.
Then there is the need for actual application of breathalysers to measure the amount of alcohol or other illegal substance in a driver’s breath. Having talked about the breathalyser for so many years, there is no logical reason why it cannot be quickly introduced.
Little wonder the use of cellphones while driving has become so rampant, which may now make the application of hands-free technology in all vehicles the easiest possible solution.
Unless we tackle these problems, then the demerit points system to cover all types of violations will remain nothing more than an idea on paper. We need to uphold the laws.