Concerns mount over demerit point system

NEWMAN...insisted that a review of the demerit system is needed. CONCERNS are mounting among motorists over the impending implementation of the demerit points system, with many calling on the Government to revisit traffic violations, reduce the cost of some tickets, and review the offences that should attract points on a driver’s licence. Criticism of the traffic system’s reimplementation came to the fore during Monday’s airing of The Burgerman Show on Edge 105 FM, with many callers expressing frustration as panellists discussed the legislation’s necessity. Under the Road Traffic Act 2018 and the Road Traffic Regulations 2022, the demerit system stipulates that the accumulation of traffic tickets for various offences will result in points being added to a driver’s licence. Any driver who accumulates demerit points above a certain threshold, will have their licence suspended and be required to pay a fine. Minor infractions like driving without a seatbelt will cost a motorist two points, while using a mobile phone adds three points to a record. Serious violations see much heavier penalties — for example, running a red light or disobeying a stop sign carries a six-point penalty. The highest immediate penalties are reserved for dangerous driving and driving under the influence of alcohol, which hit offenders with 10 points. Accumulating 10 to 13 points within a 15-month window results in an immediate six-month licence suspension. This penalty scales up sharply for more severe amassment — a one-year suspension for 14 to 19 points, and a maximum two-year driving ban for anyone reaching 20 points or more within that timeline. Motorists who joined the discussion on Monday argued that while dangerous offences such as reckless driving, speeding, operating a vehicle under the influence and illegal overtaking should continue to attract demerit points, mechanical defects that can develop unexpectedly should not place drivers at risk of adding points to their licences that could result in long-term suspension. Several callers also questioned the steep fines attached to what they deemed minor vehicle defects, including the $10,000 penalty and two demerit points attributed to a missing lug nut — which is listed as ‘driving a defective vehicle’ — with many contending that first-time offenders must be given a discretionary warning rather than an immediate ticket. Other traffic fines such as no brake lights, headlamp, park light, rear registration plate light, reflectors, missing seatbelts, and warning devices attract up to $5,000 and four demerit points each. Callers insisted that these defects could also develop while travelling on roads in poor condition. They argued that the Government should first address deteriorating roads before punishing citizens who are already strapped with hefty vehicle maintenance costs. Another recurring complaint was a lack of public understanding of the system, with many motorists admitting that they were unclear about which offences attract points, how points are accumulated, and the process for contesting traffic tickets. Transport Operations Development Sustainable Services President Egerton Newman, who was a part of the expert panel, echoed calls from the programme’s listeners and his fraternity, warning that thousands of taxi and bus operators could be affected if adjustments aren’t made before the system takes full effect. “If October 1 comes and we continue the same line, you lose at least 8,000 taxi and bus operators in three months and that is minimal. [On] the first day, you can lose your licence, the first day! With a review, we believe things can be much better,” said Newman, who argued that the some of the provisions failed to reflect the realities faced by public passenger vehicle operators. However, Assistant Commissioner of Police Gary McKenzie defended the legislation, stressing that its primary objective was to improve road safety. He maintained that motorists are not automatically assigned demerit points when a ticket is issued, noting that they could contest the ticket in court. For his part, panellist Victor Anderson, programme coordinator at the National Road Safety Council, described the system as an important deterrent to dangerous driving. While acknowledging the need for a more robust public education campaign, Anderson argued that the demerit points form part of a broader strategy aimed at reducing road fatalities and encouraging safer road use. “Jamaica has committed itself to reduce road fatalities during the decade of the 2020s by 50 per cent. We are not doing so well yet; we are about 20 something per cent and we only have four and a half years left in the decade, so we have to do a whole lot of extra work now to see if we can bring down our annual fatality rate from about 430 — I think it was — down to maybe 215. That is where we want to target by 2030,” said Anderson.