T&T Police Service want speed limit increased

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Police lobby for higher speed limit
Jensen La Vende
Thursday, October 13, 2016

The Police Service has recommended an increase in the 80 kmph speed limit for motorists on the nation’s highways and hope that the laws can be enacted by January, next year.

Speaking at the Police Service weekly press briefing yesterday, Supt Mathura Singh, head of the Highway and Traffic Patrol said a proposal was sent to Works and Transport Minister Fitzgerald Hinds which also includes significant reform of the traffic ticket system.

The proposal to increase in the speed limit follows an online petition earlier this year for the speed limit on the highways to move from 80 kmph to 120 kmph. The group behind the petition, Safe Drivers for Efficiency, called on Hinds to modernise road traffic laws.

The petition came just days after speed guns were handed over to police in April. For the year 6,740 speeding tickets were issued to speeding drivers.

There are currently six of the speed monitoring devices in the country and Singh said 12 stationary speed guns will be erected throughout the country to ticket speeding drivers automatically. Those drivers will receive their traffic tickets in the mail.

Singh said he did not want to divulge much information concerning the document until it is approved by the Minister and later enacted. He did not disclose the proposed speed limit of the Police Service.

“The Police Service and the Ministry of Woks and Transport have had several consultations and a policy document has been sent to the Minister for amending the legislative frame work governing the fixed penalty ticket system and the introduction of a de-merit point system,” Singh said.

The document, Singh said, also dealt with increasing the weight class for goods vehicle allowing them to travel up to 80 kmph. At present goods vehicles and pick-up vans, can limited to driving to 65 kmph.

Singh said the new system allows for traffic tickets sent to errant motorist via mail and the same would apply for police, licence officers and traffic wardens.

Singh said the remote traffic camera which have been tested near Hyatt Regency Hotel, in Port-of-Spain will also be implemented at all traffic lights catch those who breach traffic lights.

Singh said in the case of drivers using false license plates, the three agencies will be able to detect and deal with that issue as well. The merit system will also address repeat driving under the influence drivers and driver’s can be disqualified from driving permanently.

Also speaking at the press briefing was ASP Harrinarine Rampath, who said there have been a culture change in drivers as there were decrease in motorists charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. He said so far, 1,005 drivers have been charged with DUI offences for the year and for the same period last year there were 1,325 offences.

He said that there was a 17 per cent decrease in road deaths from 115 last year to 96 for the consecutive period this year.

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2016-10 ... peed-limit

[Toyopet]

Finally some good news. But I'll take that with a pinch of salt until it actually happens

[DVSTT]

Hinds don't care.

[Daran]

ok 120 is far too high, cap it at 100km

[desifemlove]

dunno what the CoP been drinking or ramesar or whoever, but then they need to lay off...... tandt roads not designed well enough, nor are people trained in proper driving standards, for this to fly. stop looking at how USA or UK or Germany or wherever does it without looking at the COMPLETE and comprehensive picture!!!! Germany has no speed limits on its autobahns, and not necessarily more road deaths, and the drivers are trained better, and there hardly many potholes on highways, or stretches that mash up in heavy rains, or smoke from burning fields in dry season obstructing views, or dopeyarse fuckwit pedestrians crossing under walkovers placed there for THEIR protection.

The UK is debating this, they can do it, they know road deaths won't increase. Part of T&T's issues is too many "experts" who don't see the deeper issues at hand.

[eurotuner]

ok 120 is far too high, cap it at 100km

lol

[sMASH]

Hinds don't care.

Hinds is a token in his own party.



I would have liked to know what is their rationale for the recommendation.
And also, if guardian wasn't copying a late o clock production.... got caught by them a few times... :/

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

ok 120 is far too high, cap it at 100km

The police has not said what the suggested speed limit is. The Petition called for 120km/h, not the police (as yet)

[cherrypopper]

Hmm ticket in the mail?

I hope all vehicle registration information up to date in licensing office.

[sMASH]

More incentive to transfer on sale...

[dude2014]

Are we serious? There are a lot of defective vehicles on the road that ought to be doing less than 80 km/h. Just check the left front windscreen for the inspection sticker. I have been rammed by at least three defective vehicles for brakes alone. They were going rather slow. Imagine how much sh#t would have been spread on the highway if they were doing 120km/h.

What about the classic where another vehicle totalled my ascot as the driver fell asleep and broke a major road. I am toting around a damaged neck and can hardly lift stuff like I used to do. The therapy alone is rather expensive. Thank god for my medical plan.

If you all that bright, start justifying the increase in speed. Newer vehicles can take the jamming but what about the older ones where you have to use the vehicle even when it cannot be maintained or be repaired. What about job loss and loss earning = defective vehicle on the road ..........

I am listening ............ Make sense please.

[Morpheus]

Those old cars won't be suddenly trying to hit 120kph.

I think generally most people would retain their current stroll.

My problem is proper road etiquette. 80, 100, 120kph it won't matter unless simple rules and good driving habits are practiced.

Otherwise both people for the increase and people against it will not be satisfied...

[maj. tom]

Please allow me to introduce you to the 1981 Datsun 280C

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Dude 2014: u just blight all round

[sMASH]

120kmph is not a minimum speed.....
..............................




.......................





The road etiquette is the problem.
U know, it is quite impractical to get police or enough cameras to catch instances of hazardous driving.
An idea is, to allow normal private dashcam footage to procsecute.

As long as the dste, time, number plate, is clear and correct, there could be an avenue for the recordings to be reviewed, and a ticket issued.

There could be a website where all the video can be uploaded, so anyone can question, or judge for themselves if an action is unfair.

[BRZ]

ok 120 is far too high, cap it at 100km

lol

And PLEASE leave all those spaceship PICKUPS at 65kmph/ they are more of a danger than a means of transport.

Heavy T trucks should be REDUCED to 60kms.

[sMASH]

Nah, 30 kmph.
6okmph is still too fast, it is known.

[Sundar]

Please allow me to introduce you to the 1981 Datsun 280C

What's the problem here? This is an awesome vehicle.

[desifemlove]

120kmph is not a minimum speed.....
..............................




.......................





The road etiquette is the problem.
U know, it is quite impractical to get police or enough cameras to catch instances of hazardous driving.
An idea is, to allow normal private dashcam footage to procsecute.

As long as the dste, time, number plate, is clear and correct, there could be an avenue for the recordings to be reviewed, and a ticket issued.

There could be a website where all the video can be uploaded, so anyone can question, or judge for themselves if an action is unfair.

so rowley can see who is which car? or force people to do this? would people get thrown in jail if they don't have this?

ttps being foolish, no reason to increase speed limits.

[Slartibartfast]

Are we serious? There are a lot of defective vehicles on the road that ought to be doing less than 80 km/h. Just check the left front windscreen for the inspection sticker. I have been rammed by at least three defective vehicles for brakes alone. They were going rather slow. Imagine how much sh#t would have been spread on the highway if they were doing 120km/h.

What about the classic where another vehicle totalled my ascot as the driver fell asleep and broke a major road. I am toting around a damaged neck and can hardly lift stuff like I used to do. The therapy alone is rather expensive. Thank god for my medical plan.

If you all that bright, start justifying the increase in speed. Newer vehicles can take the jamming but what about the older ones where you have to use the vehicle even when it cannot be maintained or be repaired. What about job loss and loss earning = defective vehicle on the road ..........

I am listening ............ Make sense please.

That's a different issue. You are basically saying that we should design our road laws around poorly maintained cars. They need to get the poorly maintained cars off the road. They are not safe at any speed. Only a speed limit of 0 kph would be adequate.

You also have a lot of people complaining that there are too many cars on the road and that they need to make it harder to purchase or own a vehicle. This is why we end up having to pay over twice the MSRP for new vehicles and everybody rushing to buy the oldest foreign used car that they are legally allowed to buy. Therefore, your problems have nothing to do with the speed limit.

Falling asleep at the wheel is also dangerous at any speed greater than 0kph. What if the person was travelling at 20kph and hit an elderly pedestrian? Would we say the person should have fallen asleep at the wheel doing 10kph? A more adequate solution would be a good public transport system or self driving cars so that you can safely fall asleep during your commute. Easier said than done of course.

I'm just showing you that there is a path forward through progress. Who would have thought right?

On the other hand, I have stated many times before, speed isn't the problem, dangerous driving maneuvers is. Having a truck drive at 65kmph in the right lane when cars around are driving at 80 or 100 is much more dangerous that having a left lane with all cars moving around 80 and a right lane with all cars moving around 100 because there is more order to the traffic and less lane switching maneuvers to raise the complexity of driving for commuters involved.

[desifemlove]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/ ... aise-80mph

"The motoring lobby's arguments in favour of a higher motorway maximum generally hinge on three interconnected facts: that cars have become more sophisticated and safer in the 47 years since the current limit was set; that UK road deaths are less than 25% of their mid-1960s level; and that motorways are, statistically, by far the safest roads to use."

http://news.utexas.edu/2015/07/02/roads ... peed-limit

"Take, for example, Texas 130 between Seguin and Mustang Ridge. It has the highest speed limit in the nation, 85 mph. This doesn’t mean that everyone has to drive this fast, but that the road is designed to be safe at that speed and that drivers are free to select a safe and comfortable speed within a wide margin.

Current best practices in transportation engineering — supported by extensive research by organizations such as the Federal Highway Administration, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program and the Institute of Transportation Engineers — is that speed limits should be set at the 85th percentile of traffic speed. That is, only about 1 out of 7 cars should be driving faster than the speed limit. Any more than that and the speed limit should be raised."

"Raising the speed limit also has other benefits.

It improves credibility of the speed limit sign if it consistently marks a reasonable speed for most drivers, not the speed at which politicians wish they would drive.

It also improves relations with law enforcement. Rather than having to reflexively brake when seeing a police car, or worrying about selective enforcement of speed laws when everybody is traveling over the speed limit, rational speed limits mean that average drivers can simply go about their business. No one should have to worry about being pulled over for driving in a safe manner.

And finally, it improves respect for the law. Speeding should be seen as a serious matter, not a routine offense most of us commit every day."

Note better constructed roads. US highways or UK motorways don't mash up like Trini highways do. and T&T continually scores in high percentiles of GLOBAL road deaths.

Dopey firetruck police should focus on catching murderers not pushing sheit like this. these people get it http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,227330.html

let's follow global best practices, not sheit by the police who couldn't catch a ball let alone a criminal....

[sMASH]

Highways are safe at 120. Did quite faster than 120 with little effort, or nuisance.

What ever calculations hinds do, like he lite it up, before so he thought he was going fass

[dude2014]

O km/h you say? Paul Walker was supposedly a good driver in a superior car and look what happened. What is MSRP? The cars are not the only problem. Our Highways have potholes in them, ripples, poorly designed pavement, shoulders that ends abruptly, lay byes/merging lanes that are too short, missing white lines, no signage, police officers who needs to be trained and the list goes on.

What would increasing the speed limit achieve? If you got into an accident over 80 km/h would you now think that the law should remain at 80 km/h?

I wrote about car/vehicle enforcement inspection. The attendant enforcement of this critical requirement and the resultant benefit. Is it the fault of the driver of a truck to be doing 65 km/h in the right lane, even though you are supposed to keep left except when overtaking, especially when he has to turn right at the oncoming intersection?

The justification for a speed greater than 80 km/h = Roads that are designed and built as such like the autobahn, etc. MP hinds and the Police should be off the radar with this one. The Engineers at the design branch of the Ministry of Works and Transportation ought to be the ones who should be engaging us in this matter. See hereunder.


About the Highways Division

The Highways Division of the Ministry of Works and Transport provides physical infrastructure necessary for the safe and efficient land movement of people, goods and services. The Division has consistently undertaken the planning, design, construction, preservation, maintenance and repairs of national bridges and road network in keeping with its mandate.


Responsibilities of Highways Division

The Highways Division is currently responsible for 2,050 kilometres of the 9,592 kilometres (or 21%) of roads throughout Trinidad. This is commonly referred to as the ‘Highways Division Road Network’. The Division also has responsibility for 1,200 bridges and 2,500 culverts which populate the portion of the road network under its purview.

[wagonrunner]

More incentive to transfer on sale...

some of the vehicles never sold.
can't say the same for the property at the addresses on the certified copies

[*$kїđž!™]

100 kmph is a good limit....for all vehicles....but hinds not gonna take them on.

[Slartibartfast]

Lots of doom and gloomers in this thread yes. I think we could say Paul Walkers accident was a "one of" thing and that has already been dealt with

he dead

Now in regards to our roads not being designed for an increased speed limit, ask yourself, what does it take for a road to be designed for an increased speed limit. Then ask yourself what needs to be done to make sure our roads meet those specs.

lil paint and a lil paving

Desifemlove actually posted a good article above (words never written in a sentence before). Go give it a read. The pros of an increased limit far outweigh the cons.

Again, there are progressive solutions to the minor problems that you are perpetuating.

The truth is, right now hardly anyone drives under 80 unless police nearby. If they raise the speed limit there would be no change in the way people drive because we do not take the limit into account now anyway. The only change you will have is less safe drivers getting ticketed.

And I still don't get people that say out highways are bad. Sure there are some rough patches but I would say at least 99% of the road is good enough to not cause any accidents in people driving below 120 (At least between POS, wallerfield and San Fernando which I frequent). If you disagree, please note that you paranoia does not count as disproof.

[Morpheus]

Nah man you was going good until that road condition part lol.

I beg to defer...

[baigan]

Paul walker wasn't even driving the car, he was a passenger...

Plus the carrera gt is one of the few raw super cars out there and one of the hardest to drive, even pros struggle with it and they were driving it on 9 year old rubber from what I've read

[sMASH]

I beg to differ with that.... but then, the autobhan doesn't have continuous unlimited speed.

There are sections with various speed limits. And then there are led speed signs, where the speed limit can be increased or decreased according to what will be best at any time. For instance if road works are being done, bad weather, traffic ahead.


But, in reality, the highway as is, is very drivable at 120 in its current condition.
And if those poor sections deteriorate more, u can slow down. There is no reason to stay at 120.


A better idea would be to have led sign boards at regular intervals, to warn of the upcoming conditions, to regulate speed accordingly.

[hustla_ambition101]

Many parts of our highways on the left lane is not conducive for even 80......swear I was driving on a rumble strip driving on the CRH