Nearly $35 million in traffic tickets were issued by cops in the first six days of the new Road Traffic Act coming into force.
According to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), more than 5,500 electronic tickets (e-tickets) were issued between February 1 and 6. The total value of these tickets is just over $34.9 million. As of February 7, errant motorists have paid a combined $2.4 million in fine for 404 of the tickets that have been issued.
The new Road Traffic Act contains increased fines and penalties for violations as part of an overall strategy aimed at improving road safety.
"The new legislation aligns with the overall modernisation of the Traffic Ticketing Management System that has been undertaken by the Ministry of National Security," Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson said during a press conference on Monday.
The police have been outfitted with smart devices, connected to a new traffic "management system, that enables them them to issue traffic citations and check whether motorists have outstanding tickets. Anderson said the new technology improves the efficiency of our officers and reduces undue delays for motorists".
The commissioner said that 750 e-ticketing devices were recently given to the police force, bringing the number of devices to 820. These machines will be distributed islandwide as the JCF moves to eliminate the use of the traditional ticket books.
The JCF increased the number of tickets issued last year from just over 451,000 in 2021 to more than 720,000 in 2022.
