238 traffic violations recorded in 24 hours during Georgetown, ECD crackdown

Some 238 traffic violations have been recorded on Tuesday during traffic enforcement exercises conducted by the police on the East Coast Demerara corridor and along the Heroes Highway stretch of the East Bank Demerara corridor.
The operation, conducted by Traffic Headquarters ranks, lasted from 10:15h to 15:00h, and was part of the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) efforts to improve road safety and crack down on errant drivers.
Officers targeted motorists for breaches of traffic regulations, and violations detected were as follows: 74 drivers were found to have tinted front windshields; 13 were arrested for driving without a licence; 13 were cited for breaches of insurance regulations; 13 were found without proper helmets; 44 vehicles were flagged for having obscured licence plates, and five drivers were penalised for faulty parking.
Other breaches included four incidents of unlicensed vehicles being used and two incidents of drivers failing to wear seat belts.
Officers also discovered violations such as vehicles being unregistered, drivers failing to produce their licences, and issues with vehicle maintenance and certification.
In total, 45 individuals were arrested, and 26 tickets were issued for various infractions.
The Police have said that traffic operations like the one they had carried out are critical to reducing the prevalence of unsafe driving practices and ensuring compliance with the law.
Similar exercises are expected to be continued as part of a national effort to promote safer roadways and minimize traffic-related incidents the GPF has said.
This enforcement exercise was carried out just days after a broader initiative had been conducted in other key regions. Traffic enforcement exercises focused on public transportation operators in Region Three (Essequibo Island-West Demerara) had revealed numerous violations, including illegal window tinting and vehicle certification issues.
An earlier operation on the East Bank Demerara corridor had targeted minibuses, hire cars, and lorries for offences that included overloading and failing to produce licences.
President Dr Irfaan Ali had only recently expressed concerns over increasing indiscipline on Guyana’s roadways, especially among public transport drivers, and had called for tougher penalties for repeat offenders.
Government had made changes to traffic laws earlier this year, raising fines for serious violations such as drunk driving and speeding. These updates have equipped law enforcement officials with more robust tools to enforce safety on the roads.
As the holiday season approaches, the GPF has pledged to maintain a visible presence on the roads in order to ensure drivers adhere to traffic laws and to safeguard public safety. (g9)