Some taxi association presidents agree with their members that the demerit system as it stands is flawed.
Daina Davy reports.
Under the Road Traffic Act, motorists can accumulate two demerit points and be fined 2-thousand dollars if he/she has failed to cause a passenger to wear a seatbelt.
Driving Backwards Unnecessarily attracts a $3,000 and four demerit points.
Driving Or Attempting To Drive Motor Vehicle Across Funeral Procession – a $5,000 and two demerit points.
Driving/Operating Motor Vehicle While Using Electronic Communication Device – $10,000 and four demerit points.
But, there are other offences with significant fines where no demerit points have been applied.
For example-
Not producing transport emergency cards and manifests upon being requested to by a constable or other authorised person – $175,000 fine and no demerit points.
Operating motor vehicle specified in Regulation 259 section 1 in time when motor vehicle cannot be clearly discerned at a distance of 150 meters- a $500,000 fine and no demerit points.
It also lists- Using motor vehicle to damage road sign- a fine of $50,000 and no demerit points.
President of the One Voice Taxi Association, Oscar Finikin, says operators are attracting fines and demerit points for things out of their control.
Director at the National Council of Taxi Associations, Dion Chance, reasons that it should only be the offences with significant fines that carry demerit points.
And, TODSS President, Egeton Newman says the demerit system was identified as a key issue following widespread canvassing of members and he welcomes the review by the government.
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