BRSA: Restrict newly licensed drivers

While graduated licences were not provided for in the recently passed amendments to the Road Traffic Act, the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) is not giving up on wanting such a provision to be made in the law.

As such, President of the BRSA, Sharmane Roland-Bowen, while contending that Government missed the mark by not including it in the recent amendments, reiterated that
the association’s call for the authorities to implement a system of graduated licences in this country remains a priority. The road safety advocate is adamant that restrictions should be placed on all newly licensed drivers, particularly those who obtain their licences at the age of 16, to help them better learn to operate vehicles and ensure they develop good driving habits.

“When you obtain a licence it only means you have passed a test, the real learning now begins and so graduated licensing programmes put restrictions on new drivers, setting out rules they are to follow until they have developed enough skills to be competent drivers on the road,” she stated in an interview with The Barbados Advocate.

The road safety advocate added, “We would like to see young persons especially, given the time that they need before they become fully licensed drivers and we know graduated licensing is a programme that has been used internationally and has proven to save lives, especially young lives. We would really like to see that implemented, but so far it has not been and we are hoping that an amendment to the now amended Act can make provision for it, and bring it into force. But we are not for a moment suggesting that we do that now, because we do not want anything to delay the proclamation of the new Act,”

Roland-Bowen went on to explain that the BRSA is not opposed to 16-year olds obtaining driver’s licences, but she is suggesting that at that age certain measures should be implemented to reduce the risks they are likely to encounter on the roads. As such, she is recommending that they should be prohibited from driving late at night
and restrictions should be placed on the number of passengers they are allowed to carry in a vehicle.

Nevertheless, in the absence of the legislative restrictions, she is again reminding parents that they have the power to institute similar restrictions on their children, also identifying penalties to be meted out if they do not comply with those rules. (JRT)