Road safety activist Junior Jordan has called for traffic camera legislation that would help authorities prosecute reckless road users.
He made the plea on Wednesday during a community engagement road safety consultation hosted by the Ministry of Transport, Works and Water Resources for residents and businesses in the Ivy, St Michael and surrounding areas, at the Springer Memorial School.
During the discussion in which two international road safety experts also participated, Jordan said that given the large number of vehicles on the roads in recent years and the increase in reports of dangerous driving, the time had come for the Government and other stakeholders to aggressively go after road users who breach the law.
“We need in this country, the use of cameras legislatively so that people can be prosecuted in court, just like in London. They have over 5 000 cameras in London alone and if you go through a red light, let’s say Wednesday, by Thursday or Friday you have a ticket at your house with the fine,” he said.
“This whole idea of camera use legislatively will go a long way towards reducing some of the incidents that we have.”
Jordan further contended that authorities must relook how they deal with public service vehicle (PSV) operators caught engaging in careless behaviour while plying their trade.
He believes an independent commissioner should be put in place to deal exclusively with the sector.
“We have a challenge in the country where the PSVs for a long time [have] been allowed to run riot, not only in the Ivy but all over Barbados. I want to suggest that we have a system [similar to] overseas jurisdictions [that] have commissioners that sit [and] deal exclusively with public service vehicles, and we need to understand the importance, that if people break the law they must be held accountable for what they do,” Jordan recommended.
The subject of traffic safety around the island’s schools was also a concern for Jordan who reiterated his call for speed limit signs to be posted outside all schools.
He said this would create a safer environment for pupils as they traverse to and from these places of learning.
“I think that all schools in Barbados, whether primary or secondary, there needs to be posted speed limit signs – 40 kilometres per hour (kph) or even less – which [inform] the persons driving through those areas to reduce their speeds.
“With little children running around, crossing the roads to and from school, I suggest that speed limits, 40 kph or even 35 or 30 be posted by all schools,” the road safety advocate said. (SB)
