ENERGY and Transport Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis. (Photo: Dante Carrer)
Coleby-Davis says changes to encourage ‘deeper compliance’
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
TRANSPORT Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis said impending changes to the Road Traffic Act, which will require people to renew their insurance policies in their birth month, will encourage “deeper compliance” with the law and reduce the number of uninsured vehicles.
Under the changes, which would take effect in January, people would not be able to renew their car licences with an insurance policy that will lapse in less than six months.
The changes sparked mixed reviews from residents when revealed last week.
Mrs Coleby-Davis said yesterday: “The Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) have indicated that accidents involving unlicensed vehicles and/or uninsured vehicles are on the rise. Obviously, the majority of vehicle owners are in compliance with road traffic laws and regulations. However, there are a few who continue to not –– this is a serious concern.”
“In short, it is a threat to the safety of Bahamians. The government of The Bahamas must protect all Bahamians. We must be responsive to trends, and the data suggests that stricter enforcement is necessary. The amendment seeks to ensure that we encourage deeper compliance and go after those few vehicle users who do not.”
“We know that most –– if not all insurance companies have payment options and various plans in place to assist. As minister with responsibility for transport, my number one priority is to improve road safety.”
If the Road Traffic Act amendment is passed, residents must renew their car licence and insurance policy in the same month.
Police officers would be empowered to seize uninsured and unlicensed vehicles and require owners to pay $300 to release their cars.
Chief Superintendent of Police David Lockhart, who previously headed the traffic division, said last year that 50 per cent of cars involved in traffic accidents were uninsured and called for penalty increases.
He complained that some people had been getting temporary cover notes to licence their vehicles without completing the insurance process.
Some believe the new rules are long overdue. Others like Shirley Mireault, a pensioner, are not looking forward to renewing their car license and insurance policy in the same month.
“My birthday is in October and my insurance comes in January because
I bought my car at that time,” Ms Mireault said yesterday. “I changed vehicles, so my insurance became due when I bought a vehicle. It used to be the same date, but it wasn’t anymore, and I love that because I’m a pensioner. I only have so much income, so I’m able to budget throughout the year to pay these at the time they need to be paid.”
“I budget let’s say $50 a month per month throughout the year to pay for my insurance when it comes due. I’ve got other things I pay certain months and I have it all budgeted throughout my year for my pension.”
She said police should do a better job enforcing rules.
“When I drive down the road because I’m looking like a senior, they most often don’t stop me when they’re doing their checks, but they should check everybody,” she said.
Comments
ExposedU2C 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Enforcement as a tool in this matter only works if a great majority of vehicle owners have sufficient money in their pockets where they can afford to be fleeced by the insurers who are now charging outrageously high insurance premiums. But that is not the case in our country where the divide between the "haves" and the "have nots" has become huge and the great majority of our population now fall into the bucket of struggling "have nots" who can barely afford to pay for food, medicines, electricity, water, etc.
These amendments to the Road Traffic Act are simply unconstitutional and unenforceable. No government will ever have either the political will or the means to fine, confiscate vehicles or imprison the "have not" owners of vehicles who make up the great majority of our country's population today.
The greedy insurers promoting these amendments to the Road Traffic Act will quickly come to realise that without the eradication of the ever increasing wide spread poverty in our society, their business model is doomed. And the financial institutions making loans to buyers of vehicles also need to re-think their business model against the backdrop of the vast majority of our society who now fall within the bucket of "have nots" with no means to pay outrageously high vehicle insurance premiums.
whatsup 5 months, 2 weeks ago
At least the politicians are rich
ExposedU2C 5 months, 2 weeks ago
She's an outright liar. Even senior representatives of the automobile insurers readily admit that at least 40% of the vehicles on our roads today are uninsured because their owners/drivers simply cannot afford to pay the outrageously high insurance premiums now being charged.
And why has this lying woman not yet been charged and locked up for attempting to harm or kill a police officer by running him over with her vehicle??!!
sheeprunner12 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Bahamians are just a lawless set of people ............. If the PF Traffic chief is correct that 50% of persons involved in accidents have either no license or insurance OR may be driving a vehicle that does not belong to them without the documents, then this country is lawless.
This is the same, whether you are in Nassau or on the Family Islands ........ On some islands, they are still using the Columbus yellow plates ........... Where are the Police?????? Or is it that these serial traffic violators are PEPs who cannot be "touched"??????
ExposedU2C 5 months, 2 weeks ago
If you vote time and time again for corrupt politicians to hold elected office, you obviously eventually end up with a lawless and impoverished country. All voters should never forget the adage: You eventually reap what you have sown.
whatsup 5 months, 2 weeks ago
But......aren't all politicians corrupt? So who do we vote for?
sheeprunner12 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Exposed2C & Whatsup ........... the voters vote for those politicians who can "grease the wheel" for them ........ It is not as if the voters are totally naive/innocent and the politicians are evil. Both politicians and voters (party supporters) have a stake in these elections.
That practice is common all over the world ........ not unique to 242
ExposedU2C 5 months ago
And history has shown the 'grease the wheel' practice you speak of is most prevalent in nation's destined to become failed states. And this is because of the failure of the citizenry to insist (by their vote) on elected officials maintaining an education system capable of producing generation after generation of well educated voters imbued with critical thinking skills.
The ChiComs realised almost 50 years ago that their foreign policy efforts aimed at dumbing down generations of American voters would eventually have a huge pay-off by toppling the U.S. from its number one global position without the need for any kind of traditional military warfare.
M0J0 5 months, 2 weeks ago
It's like they sit at home do dig up retarded dumb and stupid ideas.
M0J0 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Furthermore the law states once its valid can be a day before exp. So, I await the law change.
Sickened 5 months, 2 weeks ago
I tried to line up my insurance with my birthdate long ago and the insurance company told me NO. They don't issue 4 month policies. I have to take it for a year. Which means, if you don't buy your car during your birthday month then you can't adjust your policy.
whatsup 5 months, 2 weeks ago
JUST PLAIN STUPID
IslandWarrior 5 months, 2 weeks ago
...keeping my mouth shut!
birdiestrachan 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Insurance and license in the same month will be hard on the purse. Cars can not be licensed without insurance. So why are so many uninsured
birdiestrachan 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Please Plp do not make our lives harder than necessary
TalRussell 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Motor Car ownership was made much simpler back when we were a 'less potholes and a more English colony'. -- When you got assigned the Plates numbers and off you went to find a Sign Painter to 'hand paint' your License Plates. --- Richard's little sign shack on Shirley Street, next to Berlin's Food Market, was my go to source for License Plate artistry. -- 'God Save the King'. -- Yes?
stillwaters 5 months, 2 weeks ago
This was one of the very few things that worked in my favour.....insurance in July and licence in March. It eased the financial burden of paying both in one month. Now the PLP just rode in on their stupid horse and frigged that up for me. I am so vex......
TalRussell 5 months, 2 weeks ago
A one-time Plates Registration Fee of about $50.00 should be introduced. -- Along with you cancelling your vehicle Insurance -- Plates ARE cancelled and must be surrendered. -- Yes?
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