Ministry of Transport to Increase Highway Patrols Following Recent Fatal Collisions

The Ministry of Transport says it is cracking down on reckless drivers and will be increasing its presence on the country’s highways to combat the uptick in fatal road traffic incidents. This morning, the Ministry of Transport issued a release extending its deepest condolences to the families and friends mourning the loss of their loved ones in recent road traffic collisions. The situation has sparked a need for greater enforcement, resulting in the Department of Transport strengthening its response to road safety. Deputy Chief Transport Officer Peter Williams spoke on the decision and how the DOT will collaborate with the police and municipal traffic authorities to increase patrols and vehicle checkpoints, particularly at night. 

Peter Williams, Deputy Chief Transport Officer, DOT: “Essentially the release is to reassure the general public that the Department of Transport is cognizant of the fatalities that have been occurring on our roadways and to provide that reassurance to the public that we are committed to providing a high degree of law enforcement in order for us to be able to quell the situation of escalating road traffic collisions on our roadways. Again, when we speak about some of the measures that we’re going to be taking as a department this includes joint and collaborative enforcement with members of the Belize Police Department, with members of the various municipal traffic authorities. And also we want to be able to change the strategy that we have been employing over the past several months. We want to take a different approach. For far too long we have been a bit more understanding, so to speak, of drivers on the road. But now we want to take a more stricter approach, right? Most traffic laws are what is referred to as strict liability and so we want to be able to begin to thoroughly enforce the laws, of course, with the support of our sister agencies. Well, we operate on a shift system, you know, and we do have officers in various parts of the country who do work sometimes up to three, four in the morning. But perhaps we just need to, as I indicated earlier, we need to re-strategize and we need to look at some of the hotspots that we have not been attending to over the past few months. Enforcing traffic laws is not always an easy task but we continue to try to do our best, of course, with the support of our partner agencies.”

Williams noted that while the department is making changes to ensure greater road safety, citizens are encouraged to ensure the safety of themselves and other motorists. 

Peter Williams, Deputy Chief Transport Officer, DOT: “We continue to encourage and implore upon the general public to do their part. It doesn’t cost anything to be a safe and responsible driver. But when you are a driver who continues to break the law, who continues to have no regard for other road users, it’s just natural that you’re going to create a problem. And so we want to continue to encourage drivers to be more cautious, be a defensive driver. Be mindful of other road users. I want to encourage drivers to be able to ensure that the vehicle that they’re operating is properly serviced, you have good tires, the vehicle has proper suspension. The physical components of the vehicle, it’s important that you as the vehicle owner or the vehicle driver, ensure that you’re operating a vehicle that is fit to be on any public road. So that is a major factor. And then of course, the behavioral component that we seldom speak about. If you’re operating a vehicle, you have to be mindful. Mindful of other road users, mindful of yourself and your family. And don’t take it for granted, right? Be a courteous driver. Be a defensive driver. We can prosecute persons in those type of instances. However, whether or not we are able to get a conviction is a separate matter. But certainly, once we can ascertain the owner of the vehicle, so in an instance like that. The video did not show who the driver is or was. And so what the law requires is that if we can’t find who the driver was, then the owner of the vehicle becomes liable. And then the owner goes before the court and will have to justify to the court whether or not it was indeed him or her operating the vehicle. And if not, then they would have to prove who was operating the vehicle. So certainly that is well within the authority and the scope of responsibility for the Department of Transport to be able to ascertain who was operating the vehicle and to levy charges against him.”

Williams added that the department continues to crack down on drivers not utilizing seatbelts.