Head of Traffic Division, ASP Robertson Laurent, has said the police will prosecute motorcycle riders who transport children.
He said at a panel dicussion on road safety on Thursday evening that such practice is against the law and many times motorcycle riders fail to consider the safety of children.
“We have to protect our children and I just want to emphasize that for the motorcycle riders, you have children going to school, you have friends, why put the children on the motorcycles?” he stated. “This is bad practice and this is also careless driving and you can be and will be charged for it.”
He also had a warning for motorcycle riders who weave in and out of traffic.
“This is careless driving and you can be prosecuted for it and will be prosecuted,” he said.
Laurent noted that the police will be enforcing “traffic laws a little more vigorously.”
“I know we cannot be everywhere, every time but we will be stepping up out efforts of patrols and we will be looking out for these offenses,” he said.
I think the police officers have to start wit their self first, cuz it was just a week ago I saws police officer in full uniform riding one of the police bikes with NO helmet on there’s was another one different day I saw riding one of the bikes wit the sidecar the rider had his helmet on but the officer in the sidecar had no helmet, the police officers don’t wear their seatbelts and most times wen u check there’s an alcoholic drink in the cup holder. so plz we need to start at the top.
In dominica needs a rule DAT all riders should wear helmets
I hope this effort extends beyond the Roseau area. Traffic Officers need to patrol the E.O. Liblanc Highway as well. They also need to address those vehicle owners who park their vehicles on side walks in Roseau. This is ridiculous!!
A parking garage is required outside Roseau to help alleviate the unbearable congestion that transpires during rush hour. We need short term, medium term and long term sustained action to permanently address and rectify these issues. Safety has to be a way of life, not just an initiative or a slogan.
Few motorcyclists escape injury and fatal ones. They must also obey road regulations and cease veering in and out of traffic as if they are in a competition. This is reckless and dangerous driving. Ticket them when they do so.
I hope police officers will apply the law impartially, and will be I’m une to bribery or threats.
Thats a good safety measure to prevent accidents involving children on motorcycles. But one question impinges upon my mind. At what age is one no longer considered a child for motorcycle passenger riding purposes?
Equip the officers with the tools they need that’s one thing that needs to be done.. they need the radars for speeding.
More signs needed on the streets.. An the police force in dominica is to loose all they worry about is catching a Rasta with marijuana. Now allu want to step up allu game. That should have been done yrs ago..move forward as time move forward always backwards.
I was cautioned by SP laurent today and I must say I appreciated the way he pulled me aside and explained to me this initiative…As a motorcyclist I appreciate his effort and I would like to do all that is possible to comply with the laws as I am not one to disrespect the law. However with that said…I think equal emphasis can be placed on all road users…While I agree that most of my fellow bike riders do need to practice more caution and acknowledge the laws of the road…It think too vehicle owners have a special distaste for motorcyclists….imagine this.I’m riding along.get an opportunity to overtake blow my horn, ensure I make eye contact with the driver infront of me through his side mirror…can you believe this IDIOT maliciously pulls unto me while making my pass, attempting to scare me. I think as a disciplined motorcyclist we are looking out and paying attention… who wants to get banged and bruised up…our bodies are the chassis for the bikes.. but we have rights…
If you got his license you could have reported him to the police. Does the police accept such complaints?
it only took what….7 accidents for something to happen.
We The Authorities have created a database of all major accidents here to determine the main contributing factors some of which are:
Excessive Speed
Reckless driving
Driver fatigue
Drunk driving
Other forms of distraction like mobile phones
Defective automobile and/or parts
Road defects
Weather
Drivers beware. If your eye hurts every time you drink cocoa tea, it’s time to take the spoon out of the cup.
Add:
Poor eyesight.
driving under the influence of drugs (ganja does impair judgment and reaction time, believe it or not).
It was about time
As I stated a few days ago, law enforcement in Dominica is reactive instead of being proactive. Better late than never. However your department must undertake a vigorous assault against all those who willfully violate the country’s road traffic ordinances. Motorcycle riders(bikers), operators of passenger vehicles, dump truck drivers, private vehicle owners, you name it all should be put on notice. Broken or none existent tail lights, TICKET. Overtaking on a street with an unbroken line dividing the lanes, TICKET. Not wearing your seatbelt, TICKET. Small children who are not properly buckled up in a child safety seat, TICKET. Driving under the influence , ARRESTED and FINED. Your name, address and picture(mug shot ) on the evening news. However Mr. Laurent, I want to see speed limit signs posted all over the place. And I want to see mobile as well as foot patrols on our our streets. I would also like to see the reintroduction of random checks at various junctions (intersections).
The biggest problem with these policies has to do with the lack of consistency . Things seem heated now so CDPF on the go and before couple months it’s that enforcement drops .
That’s the problem.
“A little more vigorously”? Therein lies the problem. A half “A” attempt at addressing the problem.
The government does not want for the police to get to tough. I suspect they don’t want to upset to many voters. I say it’s nonsense, get tough on them, it is time to get some law and order into Dominica. We can not go on the way we are going right now. We need to start somewhere and now is as good a time as any.
I applaud this movement. You need to also watch the Nature Island Riders aka NIR closely. They drive too dangerously on the roads, speeding and racing with each other. They call it fun but its risky. Take hid.
It is dangerous Dixie, gear or no gear and I support SP laurent on that. Especially if there are a..h…s on the road according to you, and accident is an accident and the child may be badly hurt, regardless. Think of the child first and not yourself.
I give them 3 months to forget all what was said here
Hogwash, when will be prosecute politicians, law only seems to apply to the lower classes.
Must be a boon. Sot.
AWESOME!!! I applaud this initiative and wish your Department the best in your efforts!
And what about bus drivers and also police who driving anyhow ? When a bus driver put down somebody and let them cross the road in front the bus, that is very dangerous, or when they go back on the road without signal, take over in corners, stop any where to pick up people. The list is long. They dont have no respect and no common sens, and is now motocycles and people are in danger. Start by the roots of the problem, most of the people on the road canot drive properly because who teaching them also dont know how to drive. So much to say about all that, stop blaming the motocycle and stop giving licence to person who not ready to drive. Road is not a joke.
Everything in this country is reactionary. The Police have been failing for years to do what they should. I have been on public transport with police officers on board, and the the driver either has A beer in hand of talking/texting on the phone. They do nothing. Drivers are driving at break neck speeds and the police do nothing. Now that we’ve had too many accidents to count in a 2 week span, they are concerned with safety. How do you liscense a vehicle with a broken speedometer? Broken or cracked window? How do you liscense, people who are insultive to the people they serve. The police needs to do better in their quest to serve and protect.
Still, better late than never.
but wait i cant even go on a ride with my kid because of a few A#$holes. i ride safe i am padded up and so is my kid and you all telling me i cant do it. and if my suv down and have to call a friend 3 miles away to come pick them up???
what you have to do is change the laws. have people do a riding class and test. and use there gear.
If it is a motorcycle, the child is exposed. This is what is illegal about having a child ride on your motorcycle. You never know when an accident will occur. Better be safe than sorry.