New Traffic Regulations to Crack Down On Seatbelts and Use of Cell Phones

New traffic regulations are on the way to penalize motorists and passengers who are not wearing their seatbelts, as well as motorists using their cell phones while driving vehicles. On Tuesday, Adele Catzim-Sanchez, the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Transport, explained that the regulations will come by way of three statutory instruments. Also, these instruments will finally empower traffic officers to utilize their speed measuring devices.

Adele Catzim-Sanchez

Adele Catzim-Sanchez, Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Transport

“We know that road safety is a public good. It is a responsibility of the entire government as well as pedestrians and commuters, people who drive. The ministry through the Department of Transport has been actively involved in the project. We are the ones who are responsible for traffic and transport regulations and as the regulating authority it is our responsibility to make sure the laws are not just conducive to ensuring road safety but that we do our part to enforce existing legislation. We are in the process through this road safety project of amending statutory instruments that are related to enforcing not using electronic devices while driving, using seat beats for all persons in the motor vehicle. Currently the legislation only requires the use of seatbelts for people who are in the front of the vehicle, the front seats. So now the new statutory instrument will require seatbelt use for all persons in the vehicle and we also will be amending legislation to allow us to use speed measuring devices to enforce the speed limit across the country.”