In the past 78 days, 440 traffic tickets have been issued by the Road Policing and Traffic Unit which became operational on  December 23rd 2019.

More than 100 of the tickets were issued for the offence of speeding.

The unit has been mandated to adopt a zero-tolerance approach and in that time frame has arrested169 persons for various offences, it was revealed at the TTPS Weekly Media Briefing on Wednesday morning.

Those who drink and drive and try to avoid road checks by using the secondary roads will have to think again.

According to the statistics presented by the police over  60 per cent of DUI arrests occurred on secondary roads in Manzanilla, Toco, Valencia and Caura. Last weekend, for example, 16 persons were arrested charged and convicted for road traffic offences. Three  were disqualified from driving, one  person was slapped with the  maximum fine of  TT$12,000

The TTPS has warned that  DUI carries a minimum of nine demerit points under the new system which is just one short of the amount required for suspension of a driver’s permit.

And  the TTPS has appealed to drivers to ensure “that all documents are validated and that vehicles are properly checked and in safe working conditions before commencing on any journey.”

Traffic tickets that will be issued under the new system will give the offenders an option of 30 days to pay that fine.

Payment of any traffic ticket will be facilitated at any approved TT Post payment centre since payments will not be taken at the courts anymore.

If the ticket is not paid within 30 days the fine will increase by 25 per cent and if it not paid for another 14 days it will be further increased by  25 per cent.

In the event a motorist needs to contest a ticket that was issued a notice to contest can be filed online on the TT Courts Website, it was revealed this morning.

Motorists will only get demerit points by roadside law enforcement and not for camera violations.  ‘This system targets repeat high-risk offenders of the road networks- who place our families and our safety at risk.

And while the new demerit system which comes into effect in April will see each motorist starting at zero- previous offences will be dealt with at the court.

 It is a  hybrid system that will be running parallel, the TTPS noted.