Law enforcement officers from Regional Division 4B (East Bank Demerara), carried out a ‘White Light Campaign’ to address rising concerns over traffic violations in the area. The initiative aimed to enhance road safety by cracking down on various traffic offenses.
Officers carrying out the campaign
The campaign revealed a concerning level of non-compliance among drivers. Over the course of the operation, the officers identified and charged drivers for a range of violations. These included motorists operating unlighted vehicles, drivers failing to produce their licences, and instances where vehicles were found to be in breach of the prescribed fitness conditions.
In addition to these infractions, there were also cases where drivers were found riding without safety helmets and overloading lorries beyond the permitted number of passengers in the cab. The operation also uncovered vehicles that were either unlicensed or uncertified, further highlighting the extent of the issues on the roads.
The results of the campaign were significant, with a total of 29 cases being made against drivers. As part of the enforcement actions, 10 certificates of fitness were revoked due to offenses related to the use of multi-coloured lights and other breaches of the law.
The ‘White Light Campaign’ forms part of an ongoing series of efforts by Regional Division 4B to ensure safer road conditions and stricter adherence to traffic regulations.
Since 2021, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) began to intensify its campaign against vehicles with coloured lights across the country, and several persons were charged.
There has been an apparent increase in the number of vehicles affixed with coloured lights, which pose a danger to other road users. These lights can be blinding and distracting to other road users and can lead to major accidents.
In April 2019, the GPF also issued a statement on the issue, warning that Regulation 34 (1) (a) of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02 states: “Every motor vehicle, the width of which does not exceed seven feet, other than a two-wheeled motorcycle not having a sidecar attached thereto and an invalid carriage, on any road, during the hours of darkness shall carry two lamps, each showing to the front a white light visible from a reasonable distance.
