Police issue $171M in traffic tickets after fines increase

Senior Reporter

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After Cabinet increased fines for traffic offences, police issued more than $171 million worth of tickets for the nine offences, with fixed penalties among the top 10 violations recorded up to last month.

Driving without valid insurance accounted for nearly $48 million in tickets. The fine for the offence rose from $1,000 to $10,000.

Speaking at the weekly T&t Police Service media briefing on Wednesday, acting Inspector Jesse Jitmansingh identified the top ten traffic offences.

“The number six offence is driving with no valid insurance, 4,795,” Jitmansingh said.

Illegal tint was the fifth most common traffic violation, with 4,895 tickets issued to date. The penalty remained $5,000, bringing the potential value of those tickets to $24,475,000.

The potential value of tickets issued for the nine offences with fixed penalties totalled $171,223,500.

The most common violation was breaching traffic signs, with 17,280 tickets issued. The fine doubled from $750 to $1,500, bringing the potential value of those tickets to $25.92 million.

Not wearing a seatbelt was the second most common offence, with 12,409 tickets. That fine doubled from $1,000 to $2,000, giving the tickets a potential value of $24,818,000.

Failure to have a vehicle inspected resulted in 10,363 tickets, worth a potential $20,726,000. The penalty also doubled, from $1,000 to $2,000.

Police issued 6,637 tickets for using a cellphone while driving, amounting to a potential $13,274,000 in fines. The penalty rose to $2,000 on January 1.

Improper overtaking resulted in 2,696 tickets, worth a potential $5,392,000. Defective tyres accounted for 2,507 tickets, or $3,760,500, while 2,454 tickets were issued for failing to comply with a traffic signal, amounting to $4,908,000.

All of these offences carried increased penalties, except illegal tint. Speeding fines vary according to how far a motorist exceeds the limit: $2,000 for one to nine kilometres per hour over the limit; $3,000 for 10 to 20 kilometres over; $4,000 for 21 to 30 kilometres over; and $6,000 for more than 31 kilometres over.

Despite the higher penalties, the total number of tickets issued fell from 114,447 during the same period last year to 84,263 this year.

Road deaths declined by 27 per cent, from 102 to 74. Jitmansingh said fatalities also fell in several road-user categories. Driver deaths dropped from 28 last year to 23 this year, while pedestrian deaths fell from 35 to 32. Cyclist and motorcyclist fatalities remained unchanged at three and seven, respectively.

To date, 555 people have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, and 3,605 speeding tickets have been issued.