Offending drivers ‘pull ranks’ on Traffic Officers says Traffic boss

While the number of accidents caused by motorists who text while driving are is not readily available in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), one traffic policeman thinks the number is very high.

In the United States of America (USA), statistics suggest there are 400 deaths from texting and driving every year while some experts say the number is twice as much.

Commenting on the dangerous trend recently in a SEARCHLIGHT interview, Officer in-charge of traffic, transport and garage, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Parnel Browne thinks that 90 per cent of motorists in SVG use their cellular devices while driving.

“It is becoming a norm. Almost every motorist in St Vincent and the Grenadines either have their cellular phone in one hand, or something to eat and drink in one hand.

“Even persons who just obtained their driver’s license, we are seeing an increase of motorists with objects in their hand Either they are texting, on a call, or they have their cellular phone watching something, or they have something eating or drinking…everyday, it is ridiculous,” ASP Browne said.

He said that some of the explanations given to officers attached to the traffic department when they stop motorists for cellular phone usage are absurd, and motorists sometimes make calls to persons in high authority, and as a result the tickets are squashed.

“A few minutes after, you might get a telephone call, or you might see something saying ‘give this person a chance’…it is not nice…you know you have infringed on the law and instead of telling the police ‘officer, I am sorry’, you proceed to tell them ‘you can always write up this ticket’…you don’t have to do that, ASP Browne said.

“If you know you have an avenue where you can go and get your thing dealt with, you don’t have to be so presumptuous in letting the police know what they are doing they are wasting their time…it is demoralising our officers,” Browne said, while urging persons who may call to have a ticket cancelled to be careful with the practice.

“I am urging motorists, while you are driving, do not use your phone, drink or eat, because it distracts you.”

ASP Browne noted that during one incident, a female motorist was using her cellular phone while driving, and drove pass an officer who was stationed at a pedestrian crossing who had signalled her to stop.

He said when the woman realized what she had done, she went to the traffic department to apologize, stressing that she was frightened by her mistake.

“She came to apologize because she knew it was something wrong she had done…so you see how dangerous cellular phone can be?

“It is a dangerous practice that people need to stop. You can kill our police officers, you can kill somebody child, somebody husband, somebody mother or father on the road by your negligence,” the lawman stressed.

“What you are going to do? Tell them you are sorry? When it could have been avoided?”

Browne said he is lobbying for stiffer penalties on cellular phone usage while driving, and other violations, including treatment of pedestrians on a crossing.

“You fail to stop at a pedestrian crossing and the law say you must pay $50. How could that compensate for the injuries or death or the pain you might cause someone?”

ASP Browne also said that some people don’t mind breaking the traffic laws because the fines are small compared to those in some other countries.

He wants to see stiffer penalties when it comes to ticketed offences as compared to offences where violators have to face the court.