More than 16,000 drivers caught speeding in October alone

Oct 23, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – A new security feature installed on the recently commissioned Mandela to Eccles four-lane highway has captured some 16, 453 speeding drivers in the month of October alone.

This is according to report published by the Guyana Police Force on Saturday.

A head shot of the new Mandela to Eccles four-lane Highway where the security feature is installed

According to report the Force stated, “The Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force, in an effort to monitor and detect traffic offences, have recorded several traffic breaches along the new Mandela to Eccles four-lane highway”

Apart from recording speeding drivers, the new feature has found that some 36,479 drivers have failed to wear their seatbelts while travelling along the new highway, according to the information obtained for the month of October alone.

It is unclear if the Force has prosecuted any of these errant drivers or intends to do so.

Nevertheless, it has moved to remind drivers that speeding and failing to wear their seatbelts are traffic offences. It cautioned drivers to adhere to the traffic rules and reminded the speed that the speed limits for the new highway are, 30kmph, 50kmph and 80kmph in specific areas.

It should be noted, however, that President Mohamed Irfaan Ali had warned that his government will move to prosecute errant drivers caught by the new security feature installed on the new highway.

At the road’s commissioning ceremony held back in April, President Ali had said, “This feature will track vehicle speed and record vehicle speed and transmit your speed electronically to the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).”

A view of the highway from ground level.

He added, too, that the feature will be able to identify number plates and the image of drivers and their front seat passengers- even on dark and rainy nights- and then transmit that information to the relevant authorities.

The President made clear that if motorists are found breaking the traffic rules, such as driving above the speed limit, then the information will be used to prosecute them.

Ali had also hinted that his government is planning to make some adjustments to the country’s laws to cater for a demerit system for drivers.

Each time a driver breaks the law, he had said, it will be noted down and can eventually lead to them losing their license.

Ali even spoke of an initiative to mail tickets to the home of motorists, who break the rules, and should they fail to pay them, then their road service licence will not be renewed the following year.

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