Rotary Club of Freeport (RCF) and the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Traffic Division joined forces on Thursday (August 25) at the Ruby Swiss Restaurant urging motorists and pedestrians to exercise proper road safety principles daily.
Kenwood Taylor, RBPF Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and Officer-in-Charge of the Traffic Police Division addressed Rotarians on the topic, ‘Making our roads safer for all road users’ stating, “Serious attention must be placed on road safety while motorists and pedestrians alike are traversing the streets of Grand Bahama.
“Considering the fact that in 2015 alone, over 900 traffic accidents with 14 resulting in fatalities, while 221 reported accidents ended with most persons sustaining non life threatening injuries, it is imperative that we all work together to make our roads safer.
“The RBPF Traffic Division along with a cadre of civic organizations, including the Rotary Club of Freeport, Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) City Management Department and the Grand Bahama Road Safety Committee (GBRSC) are working together to educate the motoring public on all road user rules as well as driving with due care and attention especially in our school zones.
“Less than two weeks remain for students to return to school hence it is vital that we also teach our children how to correctly apply road user (pedestrian) principles so they would be safe walking to and from school.
“Thus far Police Traffic Division officers have issued over 2,250 Road Safety Pamphlet and Flyers at various intersections to the motoring public in an effort to hammer home the message of how each and every one of us can work together to make our roads safer for all road users and greatly reduce the number of traffic accidents that could result in someone being maimed or lose their life.
ASP Kenwood Taylor, OIC Traffic Division, Grand Bahama
“Furthermore, police are cracking down on those persons who are committing any traffic offence whether motorists are caught speeding, not wearing their seatbelt, driving while distracted (looking after children, texting, talking on a cellphone/passenger, watching videos, eating, smoking or applying make-up), driving a vehicle with defective mechanisms (broken tail light, busted rear and side view mirrors, damaged windshields etc.,) as well as motor bike/trail bike owners not wearing a helmet will all be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Absolutely no one will be exempted from being ticketed or hauled before the courts for committing any traffic infraction declared ASP Taylor, who encouraged motorists as well as pedestrians to contact his department should they witness a police officer breaking the rules of the road.
The traffic division chief advised that once witnesses submit the patrol car/outrider license plate number as well as the officer’s name (if possible) and offense committed, the full extent of the law would be brought to bear on them too.
“We simply cannot be the law enforcers as well as the offenders too; moreover we cannot tell persons to abide by the law if we are seen breaking it and slipping by without being punished just as any other road user would be if they do not follow the rules,” said ASP Taylor, who also noted that RBPF PC. 3506 Arnold Nesbitt Jr. along with a team of traffic police would be working diligently to ensure safety is maintained on the streets of Grand Bahama especially in our school zones so indignant offenders of the rules of the road beware.
Just over 20 drivers have been hauled before the courts for driving with fraudulent license disks and will be criminally charged facing up to $1,500 in fines as well as a year imprisonment that is up to the discretion of the magistrate.
“Be assured one and all the we in the RBPF Traffic Division take our duties seriously as any officer, who has sworn to uphold the law and enforce it with courage, integrity and loyalty ensuring that we make the Bahamas a safer place to live, work, visit and play.
“We will be taking a zero tolerance approach to enforcing the road rules of our streets and setting the right example for those who look up to us to follow so all road users please exercise due care and attention along the highways, intersections, roundabouts, school zones, emergency lanes and side streets of Grand Bahama,” said RBPF PC. 3506 Nesbitt, who joined ASP Taylor in thanking the Rotary Club of Freeport, Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) City Management Department and the Grand Bahama Road Safety Committee (GBRSC) for working hand-in-hand with the Traffic Division to ensure the streets of Grand Bahama are made safer for all road users.
By: Sharell Lockhart
Source: Freeport News/Guardian
