Looks
like the ITA (Island Traffic Authority) has finally been drafted into the Road
Traffic Act!
Recent
amendments to the Road Traffic Act make it possible for Drivers Licenses to
blocked for Renewal by the ITA if the fine isn't paid to the Tax Administration
Jamaica as stated in the article “New law
aims to deny license renewal for unpaid tickets”, Published Friday
September 26, 2014Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.
This
was revealed during a meeting of a joint select committee of Parliament on
Wednesday September 24th 2014 by Chief Technical Director in the
Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing Dr Janine Dawkins. These changes are
in a bid to reduce road fatalities in Jamaica.
Committee
Chairman Dr Omar Davies urged Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of
Transport, Works and Housing Dr Janine Dawkins to complete the 139 page bill
and ratify the amendments into law before March 2015.
I
suspect Dr Omar Davies really meant Christmas, as he might be planning to do a
bit more drinking this Christmas!
With
the coming amendment to the Road Traffic Act, suspensions for non-payment of Traffic
tickets will be as follows:
1. 6
months
2. 1
year
3. 2
years
This
is now possible as the updated Road Traffic Act has a few changes, particularly
in Section 33, which specifically names the ITA as the body that will authorize
the suspension of a Jamaican Driver’s License if they have on or several unpaid
Tickets or have accumulated the following number of demerit points:
1. 10
or more but less than 14 demerit points
2. 14
or more but less than 20 demerit points
ITA and the Road
Traffic Act - HD CCTV Cameras and Rear-view Cameras on Vehicles needed
Interestingly
too, the Jamaican Driver's Guide: Road Code Edition isn't an official
publication of the ITA, as theirs is outdated. It would be interesting to see
their updated publication would be any different.
Thus
amendments to the Road Traffic Act will create a licensing System for Driving
Schools as had been envisioned back in January 2013 by Minister of Transport
and Works Dr. Omar Davies as stated in my blog article
entitled “New
Road Traffic Act will include Licensing Driving Schools and Cellphone Bans -
Beware Motorists in Turbo mode of the coming Automated Traffic Ticketing System”.
Hopefully,
the Road Traffic Act amendments will be backed up with the installation of HD
CCTV Cameras at intersections to catch persons in the act of using their
cellphones while driving as I'd written about in my blog article
entitled “Road
Traffic Act to be Amended to Ban Vehicular Cellphones and Tablet usage – HD
CCTV Enforcement necessary as Legislation needs Teeth”.
Hopefully
too, they’ll regulate such driving aids as the US$499 Navdy, a HUD (Heads Up Display) unit that projects
information the driver needs on their windscreen as described in my blog article
entitled “Navdy
HUD Projector – Heads Up Display for Apps with Voice and Gesture Commands to
control your Car while Driving”.
Also,
there should be amendments to legislation to address the rise of Electric
Bicycles as I'd noticed in the community of Swallowfield next to the National
Stadium and sandwiched between Old Hope Road and Arthur Wint Drive in Kingston
and elsewhere in Jamaica.
Ultimately
I'm hoping that the ITA will make it mandatory for Motorists to install
Rear-view Cameras on their vehicles to not only reduce accidentally hitting
pedestrians from behind when reversing but also serve as evidence in course
during rear-end collisions as noted in my blog article
entitled “Electric
Bicycles and Motorcycles next Big Jamaican trend by Christmas 2014 - How
Backtracker and Rear View Cameras in the Road Traffic Act can help”.
That,
Committee Chairman Dr Omar Davies, would be something worth drinking to come
Christmas 2014!
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