MP Calls for Mandatory Ongoing Education for Habitual Traffic Offenders

Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Thomas Eastern, Dr. Michelle Charles, is calling for mandatory ongoing education for habitual traffic offenders and reckless drivers who put the lives of other road users at risk.

Making her contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives on October 25, she said the Road Traffic Act should be amended to include mandatory courses at the Jamaicans Against Dangerous Driving (JADD) School for the offenders.

Dr. Charles said the courses should include accident prevention, drug and alcohol awareness, and driver improvement.

“I recommend JADD school for a minimum of four hours for persons who receive tickets for overtaking in a manner causing obstruction to traffic and careless driving with or without a collision,” she proposed.

“I am calling for a minimum of six to eight hours JADD traffic school for speeding and 12 to 16 hours for habitual traffic offenders and reckless and dangerous drivers,” Dr. Charles added.

She said that the majority of persons who drive in Jamaica are safe drivers but reasoned that “we need to change the way reckless drivers think in Jamaica and that can only be done through education”.

“Reckless drivers must be held accountable for their actions. It cannot be just about receiving a ticket, which many of them have so many outstanding, and even with amnesty their actions remain the same,” Dr. Charles noted.

She emphasised that the riders of motorcycles must be included as well. “While we welcome the new and improved roads in St. Thomas Eastern, we also want to ensure our safety. Imagine a country with disciplined drivers on the road,” she said.

Over 365 persons have been killed in road accidents since the start of the year.