A senior traffic officer is calling for tougher penalties for road offences after two fatal crashes occurred within 24 hours.
Corporal Brendon Sutherland of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda said current fines and regulations are too weak to deter reckless driving, even as serious collisions appear to be increasing. He noted that many offences—such as driving without due care and attention—are not arrestable, and police often cannot detain drivers unless dangerous driving is witnessed firsthand.
Sutherland said several penalties are so low that motorists simply ignore them, including the fine for using a cell phone while driving. He warned, however, that every ticket carries a demerit point, and drivers who reach 14 points face licence suspension once the system is fully enforced.
He urged motorists to plan ahead, avoid distractions, and exercise patience, saying Antigua and Barbuda’s short travel distances make rushing unnecessary. Stronger penalties combined with safer driving habits, he said, would help reduce collisions.
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It is not tougher penalties that are needed, doing so focuses on just punishment after the act occurs. You want to have better deterrence and preventative measures, things that occur before to prevent the act from occurring. Please focus, crimes are already punishable, and they are still being committed. So at this time, sensible people are more focused on prevention, police/public strategies that stop such actions from occurring and punishment after the act doesn’t stop the act, as it already happened. Let us focus on stopping the act fron occurring. Please focus people.