Police Remove Over 300 Registration Plates from Defective Vehicles

The Traffic and Highway Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has removed over 300 registration plates from defective motor vehicles since the start of the year, and a number of persons have been prosecuted.

This comes as the Division intensifies its Geographic Support Operation Strategy, which is aimed at reducing the number of road fatalities.

Addressing a recent JIS Think Tank, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Gary McKenzie, said that members of the division are working with the Island Traffic Authority to execute joint operations at strategic locations across the island on a weekly basis. Six such operations have been executed since the start of the year in the parishes of Westmoreland, Clarendon, St. Mary and St. Catherine.

He said that special attention is being paid to motorcyclists and vehicles that operate for profit, such as commercial and public passenger vehicles.

“There are motorcyclists, who do not have a licence to operate, most of them only have a provisional driver’s licence and most of them just learn to ride on their own. It is of great concern to us that several of them are driving for profit as they are employed to commercial entities as messengers,” he informed, adding that others are used as taxis.

“These motorcycles are also defective; they are without chain guards, proper brake system; they are not insured or even passed to be on the road… [no fitness],” he said.

DSP McKenzie, who is Administration Officer at the Traffic and Highway Division, is reminding motorcyclists that they are required to obey the rules of the road in the same manner as cars and trucks.

“It is not correct to go between vehicles during traffic, ‘dilly-dally’ like we say in Jamaica. They are to drive behind cars and trucks and should only overtake when it is safe and allowed,” he noted.

DSP McKenzie also made a special appeal for motorcyclists to wear their helmets.

“As a driver of motorcycle for over 20 years, I have had a couple of falls and I know what it means to hit the surface. I still have pains due to falls…on at least three occasions, the helmet has actually saved me and so I want motorcyclists to know that it is absolutely necessary to wear their helmet. The next time you fall, you may die as a result of not wearing that helmet,” he warned.