By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
THE police have said that over 6,000 outstanding driver’s licenses are awaiting collection from 2022.
Superintendent Coran Jennning, second in command of the Royal Bahamas Police Force traffic division, encouraged motorists to collect their outstanding driver's licence.
He noted the importance of motorists having a driver’s licence in their possession while highlighting the penalties for failing to adhere to road traffic laws.
“Once an officer would stop you and inquire as to whether you have a driver's licence in your possession it is mandated that you present a driver's licence ID to the officer,” SP Jennings said.
“And if you don't have a driver's licence, you could be ticketed and the fine for that ticket is $250. Now if you have a driver's licence, and it is not in your possession, the fine will be a lesser fine, which is $40.”
He noted that the turnaround time for the collection of driver’s licenses is two to three days. The renewal cost is $25 for one year or $75 for three years.
Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Eugene Strachan, officer in charge of the road traffic division, noted an “alarming concern” for Japanese cars being major contributors to traffic accidents.
He appealed to motorists to reduce speed and cell phone use while behind the wheel.
“The little vehicles that we are finding ourselves having to buy, we are competing with larger vehicles and with that larger vehicle a crash occurs and the only end result is either major injuries or fatalities,” he said.
“So we're going to appeal again to the members of the public when you get behind a steering wheel, we're begging you to make sure that every individual is properly strapped in with a seatbelt and that the driver is adhering to the speed regulations on all of the major roads.”
The country has recorded seven traffic fatalities for the year, with the most recent incident in Abaco claiming the life of a mother and her four-year-old child.
The Tribune understands the mother is 22-year-old Michelleda and her son, Armani.
Police said the crash happened around 8am on Tuesday near Ernest Dean Highway.
The woman and her son were reportedly in a Honda Fit travelling north on Ernest Dean Highway when she veered into oncoming vehicular traffic and collided with a male driver and a woman passenger in a grey Dodge Caravan travelling in the opposite direction.
Police said the initial impact resulted in the Dodge Caravan colliding with a grey Nissan Cube driven by a woman. After the crash, passengers were taken to the island’s local clinic, but the mother and son died on the scene after suffering serious injuries.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 9 months ago
"an “alarming concern” for Japanese cars being major contributors to traffic accidents."
Analysis seems very faulty. It implies that theres something wrong with Japanese imports. Let's assume there is, then this is a national security concern. The question would have to be asked, why are these cars so prevalent? Could it possibly be due to the ridiculous 65% import duty on cars added to VAT and then VAT compounded on VAT and customs duty? So by keeping the car import duty rate high you get people buying cheaper cars that you say "cause" more accidents.
If that's the problem, lower the duty so people buy American cars
Of course then you'd have to report an alarming trend in the rise of accidents in American imports... because the issue isnt the model, it's the availability combined with the prevalence of bad drivers.
Its of course harder to speak the truth. How are so many bad drivers getting licenses and why are bad drivers not being stopped by police before they cause accidents with their red light running, 3rd lane making, uturn creating, sidewalk driving, turning lane to jump line abusing behaviour
bahamianson 9 months ago
Japanese cars being major contributions to traffice accid3nts? What a stupid thing to say!!!! Ok , then tax the japanese cars , make the cars do community service, and put the bad cars in jail. Where the Japanese cars raised by two Christian cars. After all, Christian cars will teach baby cars about respect for other cars. Cars do not drive themselves, people drive cars!!! Alarming is how many Bahamians drive poorly and disrespect the traffic laws. I think a lot of people bought their licences from road traffic department and do not know the laws of the road. Get rid of whomever is selling licences in the RTD. So I saw somewhere on social media.
AreYouSerious 9 months ago
Has anyone wondered why in Japan its government allows its citizens to use a Japanese car for only a two-year period---at which time they must get rid of it---then they are sent to third world countries, particularly where the majority in those countries are Black people---think about it! Didn't former PM Dr. Hubert Minnis once tried to bring up something in the house about these cars? They are always mentioned when some homicides or other crimes take place!!!
ThisIsOurs 9 months ago
If people with murder intent didnt have cars, theyd walk or catch the bus to do their crime. Let's come up with real solutions other than putting Japanese cars behind bars.
truetruebahamian 9 months ago
It is 10 years, not 2.
ExposedU2C 9 months ago
And if many Bahamians can no longer afford a driver's license, but must still drive to get to work in order to try buy some food to survive, you can just imagine how many more Bahamians are driving daily without costly auto insurance. This is why the cost of auto insurance has gone through the roof for the ever declining number of drivers who are still able and willing to pay for it.
Today it's just better to have a few dollars on you for the occasional police stop than to pay auto insurance. Besides, in the event of an automobile accident where you are not at fault, you avoid having to fight with your insurer to get a small fraction of your actual claim entitlement paid by your greedy auto insurer.
moncurcool 9 months ago
Tell me why in the world it take 2 to 3 days to get a drivers license?
This is 2024. How many of those 2022 licenses are expired, that the Superintendent is asking people to pick up?
ThisIsOurs 9 months ago
"Tell me why in the world it take 2 to 3 days to get a drivers license?"
If the printer is still not working it takes more like 8 days to collect
hrysippus 9 months ago
A few years ago I enjoyed a visiting a relative who lived in Stockholm, which must be one of the cleanest cities in the world. In Sweden it takes around $10,000 and several years to qualify for a driving license. In one of those strange coincidences, despite harsh icy driving conditions, Sweden has one of the lowest rates of vehicle deaths of any country. This is because of the proactive stance of the Swedish government. The Bahamas is a country where the road traffic department is so corrupt that it is an open secret that a driving license can be easily bought. The Bahamas records close to 100 vehicular involved deaths each and every year. Please do not blame the members elected to form the government, maybe blame the people avoiding their civil duty to serve on juries.......sigh......yep, think it through.
GodSpeed 9 months ago
was that the year when they couldn't replace them and you had to wait weeks?
killemwitdakno 9 months ago
You have to pay each yr to renew a license?? Kill that. Plus it leaves so much out there alterable to be faked.
ExposedU2C 8 months, 4 weeks ago
In many states in the U.S., including Florida, residents of the state pay less than $60 for a driver's license that is valid for 8 years.
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