Government Tightens Traffic Laws After Surge in Fatal Road Incidents

The Briceno Administration has moved to revise the country’s traffic laws to increase penalties for reckless and drunk driving. The decision was announced today during a Special Sitting of the House of Representatives and comes after the lives of fourteen people were lost to road traffic incidents in less than one week. This year, the country has witnessed a significant increase in fatal road traffic incidents, prompting residents to call for greater enforcement and stiffer laws. Amid the aftermath of this weekend’s incident in Cayo that saw ten persons die, the government has instructed the Attorney’s General Ministry to conduct a review of the current laws. The move will seek to update antiquated traffic laws and put policies in place to allow for the use of speed guns and breathalyzers when prosecuting traffic offenders. Prime Minister Briceno, who offered his condolences to the families recently impacted, spoke on the government’s decision and underscored that while GOB is doing its part, the public has a shared responsibility.

John Briceño, Prime Minister, Belize: “I think it is a start, but also a part of the presentation, I think I skipped that part, also has to be education. One of the things that we were thinking about is that whenever you go to renew your driver’s license we’re thinking about having you study and take a test about road safety. Many times people don’t really, maybe don’t even remember. the traffic laws. For instance, if you’re on a highway and you want to cut on your left or go to your home if you live on the highway, for instance, or a village, most people put on their signal light and then they cross. Even if there’s a vehicle behind them, what you need to do is to get off the highway, the traffic passes, and when the traffic is cleared then you turn. Simple things like that people have forgotten. Signal when you’re going to overtake, signal when you’re in front to go back into your lane. Well don’t even asked about the speed limits. So I think also has to be an educational campaign. Enforcement can go so far but we also have to, we as a people have to take responsibility that we all need to be looking out at not only after ourselves, but even those coming on the other side. So enforcement, education, and I know that we are fixing our infrastructure. And it’s so ironic because you all asked me that question last week Thursday in Orange Walk about the traffic accidents and one of the things that I said that as the infrastructure improves then people tend to drive faster and eventually become more reckless. At the end of the day, my message is it’s incumbent on us, we as a people, we have to become more conscious about the danger, about the reckless behavior on our highways.”

One of the major discussions has surrounded the frequency of drunk driving in Belize and the penalty faced by persons caught driving under the influence. This week, the issue was highlighted by Joshua Magana, who lost his mother, Miriam Cordon, at the hands of a drunk driver. Magana had issued a heartfelt plea calling for greater penalties and lamented the slap on the wrist that Leroy Nunez faced after taking his mother’s life. Today, Prime Minister Briceno shared his sentiments and noted that there is a need to crack down on drunk drivers, particularly those who are involved in fatal incidents.

John Briceño, Prime Minister, Belize: “The issue of drunk driving for instance, in the United States I was told that if you get into an accident on the road and you’re drinking and somebody dies they charge you for murder or something like that. So it’s a very, very stiff charge they bring on you. And I think we need to look at that. We can’t allow people because they’re drunk, they drive and… knock down people and people die and then you get a bail. Probably should not even be given bail. Like with murder that you can’t get bail. Maybe we should lock them up until the time comes for them to listen to their case. Some of those sound draconian but maybe only that will let us start to realize how serious this is. Or motorcycles, I mean, cyclists are even the most reckless and they don’t… probably they don’t realize or don’t think about it but they are the ones that are most at risk because the minute they hit something they’re going straight on the ground. And I mean, and they could get badly damaged. So the laws is one part of it. But I think it has to be education and constant, constant education, and reminding people about the perils of this reckless driving on the highways. I think that we don’t even have the… the laws for it, so I guess that’s why they have it on a shelf. So it is incumbent on us to ensure that we can pass the necessary laws, and that’s why we spoke with the Attorney General at the last cabinet meeting and asked him to review all these laws and everything, anything that needs to be implemented and definitely the speed guns, breathalyzers and all of these that can help us to be able to capture these people.”

PM Briceno also spoke about the possibility of using artificial intelligence to assist in monitoring the country’s roads.