30% of traffic offenders skip court for hearings, to pay fines

Some 30% of individuals charged with traffic offences or issued tickets fail to appear in court to answer to the charge or pay the fine, contributing to delays in case resolution and prompting law enforcement to seek arrest warrants. This data from court records, reveals a systemic challenge in ensuring accountability for road offences.

According to reports, out of every 100 persons charged, only 70 appear in court as required. For the remaining 30 per cent, prosecutors and police are forced to escalate the matter, requesting summonses or arrest warrants.

Once a summons becomes effective, the magistrate is asked for the defendant to be arrested to ensure their court appearance.

The Georgetown Traffic Court processes an average of 60 to 100 cases weekly, each often involving multiple charges. A significant portion of these stems from traffic violations, which include driving under the influence (DUI), unlicenced driving, and dangerous or careless driving.

DUI remains one of the most serious offences, carrying fines as high as $200,000. On Wednesday, eight individuals faced charges for careless and dangerous driving, with three pleading guilty and fined $25,000 each. Others faced bail amounts ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 for offenses like dangerous driving, failure to report accidents, and failing to assist injured persons.

While November saw a peak in traffic cases, December’s numbers have slightly declined based on data collected by this publication from the court. Nonetheless, enforcement efforts remain rigorous, with police issuing between 100 to 200 traffic tickets in Georgetown weekly data shows.

Over the past few months, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has been grappling with an alarming surge in traffic violations, with weekly figures consistently reflecting high levels of non-compliance to traffic laws. Just last month, the GPF recorded an unprecedented 4,276 traffic infractions during a nationwide crackdown from November 24 to November 30.

The campaign, spearheaded by Traffic Chief Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh, revealed critical areas of concern on Guyana’s roads. Speeding topped the list of offenses, with 791 cases recorded, including 190 tickets issued on Heroes Highway alone.

Failure to wear seat belts accounted for 192 violations, while improper loading practices, such as lorries transporting construction materials unsafely, resulted in 76 citations. Another significant area of non-compliance was the failure to wear safety helmets, with 297 cases documented. This included several instances where drivers allowed pillion riders to ride without helmets, exposing them to serious risk.

The police crackdown extended to Georgetown, where a one-day operation on Friday last alone netted 79 violations. Among these were 25 cases of prohibited tinted front glass, 19 instances of leaving vehicles in dangerous positions, and multiple infractions involving motorcyclists failing to wear helmets or allowing passengers to ride without them.