Traffic fines failing to deter repeat offenders – road safety officials warn

Concerns are mounting from traffic officials that traffic fines are no longer serving as an effective deterrent, as road safety stakeholders warn that repeat offenders continue to flout the law, contributing to accidents and fatalities across the country. The issue was highlighted during the latest broadcast of ‘Road Safety and You’, where officials underscored the growing gap between existing penalties and current economic realities, arguing that the system must evolve to curb reckless driving. Chairman of the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) Earl Lambert, during the televised show, pointed out that fines, which were once considered significant, have lost their impact over time.

“I remember when $7,000 was the fine… but we haven’t moved beyond the $7,000, and salaries have actually tripled. So, some people see it as a small piece,” Andrews said. “You find that they’re offenders with 50 and 60 tickets and they’re not even paying it.” According to Lambert, the failure to adjust fines in line with income growth has emboldened a culture of non-compliance, with some drivers repeatedly violating traffic laws without fear of meaningful consequences. The problem, he noted, is compounded by dangerous driving practices such as overtaking multiple vehicles at once, speeding and ignoring road signs, behaviours that have been linked to recent fatal accidents.
“We need to put the blame where it is,” he said, referencing a recent crash in which a driver reportedly overtook several vehicles while approaching a turn. “Why wasn’t the driver observing the five Cs?” Traffic officers on the programme maintained that systems to detect and penalise violations are already in place, including speed cameras and electronic ticketing. Officer-in-Charge of Traffic in Regional Division Three (Essequibo Island-West Demerara), Superintendent Maniram Jagnanan explained that these technologies are designed not only to enforce the law but to promote safer driving habits. “The system is there… it is there to preserve life,” he said. “As long as you go over the required speed limit, you’re being issued with your ticket electronically.”
Enforcement alone cannot solve
However, he stressed that enforcement alone cannot solve the problem, noting that driver behaviour remains a critical factor. “When we leave this country and go overseas, we respect all laws and regulations. Why can’t we start at home?” Jagnanan questioned. Meanwhile, Traffic Inspector at the Kitty Police Station, Georgetown, Inspector Lindon Williams highlighted ongoing challenges with the demerit point system, noting that while it is designed to penalise repeat offenders, gaps in implementation have limited its effectiveness.
“We have found ourselves in a bottleneck…some amendments are needed,” Williams explained, adding that the system is being reviewed to make it more “strong and seal-tight.” He also pointed to issues such as unlicensed drivers, who cannot be penalised under the demerit system, as well as widespread violations among minibus operators and motorcyclists. “Every day, we receive reports of different offences… and the police can only do so much,” he said.
Just recently, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) had intensified efforts to curb dangerous driving through the rollout of the Safe Road Intelligent System (SRIS), a network of smart surveillance cameras installed along major roadways. The system, which is a national road safety strategy, is designed to automatically detect traffic violations, including speeding, failure to wear seatbelts, use of mobile phones while driving and driving in restricted lanes. Mounted on poles at strategic locations such as the Sheriff-Mandela Highway and other high-traffic corridors, the cameras operate around the clock and are equipped with multiple functions, allowing them to monitor different types of offences simultaneously. Once a violation is detected, the system captures the vehicle’s registration number and generates an electronic ticket (e-ticket), which is then processed by the relevant authorities. This reduces reliance on manual enforcement and limits opportunities for human interference.