Stiffer penalties coming as gov’t updates 37-year-old traffic law
The government is currently taking steps to modernise the 37-year-old Road Traffic Act, which, if passed, would see drivers paying increased fines for violating road laws in the territory.
The territory’s Road Traffic Act — specifically Chapter 218 — governs the registration, licensing, and operation of vehicles, as well as traffic rules and regulations. It has been amended multiple times to improve road safety and efficiency, but Works Minister Kye Rymer said the proposed updates are needed to keep pace with the modern realities of road traffic in the Virgin Islands.
“One of the most pressing concerns is the inadequacy of existing penalties. The fines and sanctions — largely unchanged since 1988 — have lost their deterrent effect due to inflation and shifts in societal behaviour,” Minister Rymer explained while introducing the law in the House of Assembly.
“The proposed amendments introduce increased fees and stricter penalties for offences such as dangerous driving, impaired driving and repeat violations,” he added.
Under the proposed law, the fine for breaking the speed limit would increase from $500 to $1,500. For dangerous driving, the fine would rise from $500 to $1,500 for a first offence and from $1,000 to $4,500 for subsequent offences. The fine for driving without due care would increase from $250 to $1,000, with repeat offences carrying a penalty of $3,000. And a new offence — “overtaking on a corner, intersection or crest of a hill” — would carry a fine of $500.
Minister Rymer said several stakeholders, including the police and representatives from the Department of Motor Vehicles, were consulted in drafting the proposed law. He noted that the updates are timely, given the rise in traffic violations and road accidents.
“This alarming trend demands decisive action. Local reports indicate that accidents involving motor scooters and other vehicles continue to rise,” Rymer stated.
While all government members supported the law, some members of the Opposition cautioned that the proposed penalties were too high — particularly given the high cost of living in the territory.
However, the government maintained that the proposed measures are not excessive and align with traffic regulations in other countries.
The legislation is currently at the committee stage of the legislative process, where it is being carefully reviewed by all legislators.
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What about simple enforcement!
Increase the penalty for those dump trucks transporting waste without properly securing the load. Don’t wait until something flies off and hit a pedestrian to do crack down on it.
If you see how many times people have been overtaking before corners, then you would revisit that figure to be a lot more!
Surely ” “overtaking on a corner, intersection or crest of a hill” with a fine of $500 should be classified as dangerous driving (with a fine of $1,500 for the first offence)!!!
No point having stiffer penalty for no helmet, excessive tint, dangerous riding, stopping in middle of road. No one taken to take for these any way.
If the old or new Road Traffic Act is ever enforced by the police then the fines over $1000 should not be included in any new law. A better solution is:
1st Offense: A fine less than $1000
2nd and last Offense: Revocation of Driver’s License and vehicle ownership especially for any taxi drivers.
Driving in the BVI is a privilege NOT a right.
What about a fine for these dangerous roads we are required to traverse.
I hope this amendment include a secondary owner on Taxi license at DMV so that incase the eiggtful owner pass you dont have to go thtough all that expensive legal nonsense to get it into another peraon name. SMH.
I see Higmack driving on the old and new road like them have a updated license sticker and they have the same rite as a car and legal to do so. Not even bothered to use a low boy to transport them.
That’s half the reason the roads are messed up!
Good luck with that!
lets make a big big big fine for parking anywhere you feel like obstructing lanes and parked cars and flow of traffic
make one also having your car parked (abandoned) in the parking lot for over 3 days.
also make one for taxi parking outside of their designated parking zones taking up public parking space while there’s remain empty
last thing make a law that allows officers to remove vehicles via tow truck whenever they park in the middle of the road, lanes, blocking in cars etc etc it makes no sense giving them a fine while they wait for their court date and continue to do the samething only to pay $50
There are rules about trucks having their load covered. How many times have you seen that or seen it enforced? I have actually been behind a truck whose load was flying off the back onto my windshield. The guys driving the big trucks are coming around corners taking their half of the road out of the middle. Just yesterday one came down the coast road at a great speed in his nice new white truck and my passenger asked me to please pull off on the side of the road. These guys think we are supposed to move over when they are on the road because apparently even though they are being paid, they see it as a public services and therefore they are entitled to the road. How about those folks on the inner lane at the roundabout who are STILL pulling into the left lane to make the left turn towards DeCastro Street. If nothing is ever enforced, if there are no police on the road to see to the enforcement, why bother to change the laws and increase the fines that are currently not being enforced. This is just another easy political point maker that will not come to anything real. Let’s stop kidding ourselves. I’m so tired of politicians and their meaningless rhetoric.
Along with stiffer purse gouging penalties, it is should also be reccomended and hoped that thicker pay salaries will also be initiated to pay for those stiffer fines.
As, money do not grow on trees neither through septic or pot holes.
This is how you know that the politicians/government do not do proper analysis when implementing fees, actually when doing anything. A holistic approach is needed. The Minister is here speaking about inflation, shifts in societal behaviors and keeping pace with modern realities. They were just in the house with a minimum wage bill. Do they think that it is those persons in society that is paid well riding scooters, driving recklessly, and breaking the road traffic rules? No!!!!!!
The police need to do their jobs and enforce the laws instead of harassing people. If they are seeing the same set of offenders, institute a points system. One ticket ex amount of points, two tickets, same thing and at the third, the license should be suspended. If they’re caught driving during that time or thereafter get another ticket, especially for reckless driving, revoke the license. There are systems that can be instituted. But no, the Minister comes on here talking about fines in other countries. What other countries? Caribbean countries? Nonesense!!!!
I have to say the poor condition of a lot of vehicles on the island must lead to safety issues. Also,if a scooter isn’t fitted with a registration plate ,it should be scrapped and the rider prosecuted ….that shouldn’t be difficult to implement ?
Blah Blah blah hush yah s&@3@:&. mouths….What’s the purpose of having these things on the books if you don’t enforce them????? Double parking is on the books, come town on a Friday, Excessive tints indicating are all on the books. Are any of those enforced in 2025???? Stop putting on a show for the outside world, with these aspirational laws. We all know all BVI loves to do is create symbolic laws………..
People should fine the government for each pot hole their car make contact with since we talking about road safety!
Fixed the roads one time please
fix the road first
A traffic management system encompasses the strategies and technologies used to regulate and optimize the movement of vehicles and pedestrians.
You can plug this onto law enforcement and strategic forward short and long term planning. Google Traffic Management
What about suspension of licenses?
It’s about damn time!
How about a fine for parking on yellow lines and driving like a maniac. Better yet how about a fine for drivers walking around with all my eggs in a basket.
You all can’t see these wicked satanic followers only trying to drain the loosh from the community ? It’s end times the government (govern your mental) only take and take they are the worst criminals around and only enforcing more laws to take money the public don’t even have . Cost a living up and salaries down .. I’m not saying folks should break the laws but that in itself is a whole other story living under these draconian maritime laws.
I wish as a community will would WAKE UP and see what’s going on cause the ones in these clubs won’t ever tell you what’s really going on .. ALL I can say it’s SOON TIME …..
Judgment day on the way …….