In other news, every few days we report on another fatal motorcycle accident. Lately, many of the victims have been teenagers. And you've heard from survivors, medical professionals, and the ComPol that these incidents are increasing and the root cause is unsafe driving on the roads.
As more people opt for cheaper transportation, the laws have had to play catch up to levy stiffer punishments for those who don't follow the rules of the road. We asked the Chief Transportation for an update on the changes in legislation.
Leon Gentle, Chief Transport Officer
"On the 7th of October, myself and the project manager for the Road Safety 2 met with PAHO who has pledged their support in identifying how we can move forward with improving the legislation as well as providing some technical support for that element of it. As you all know, PAHO is most interested in that because it puts a strain on the health system and so all of that, there is that collaborative effort, we are seeking regional funding to be able to provide that level of support both technically and legislatively as it relates to improving the legislation so we are at that level."
Courtney Menzies:
"So it will make the penalties harsher but what about the legislation that helmet has to be bought with the motorcycle?"
Leon Gentle, Chief Transport Officer
"So those are parts of the whole fixer upper bit as it relates to the legislation. Of course we have to do the assessment and to se how we can do that transition into that element of it and we are hoping that that is the ultimate goal, that once a motorcycle is being sold that the gears, both the certified helmets are being sold along with the cycles."
Reporter:
"Would you be maybe concede that it's a larger problem with enforcement as well?"
Leon Gentle, Chief Transport Officer
"That's a part of the problem and we have made efforts to see how we can make adjustments to that level of it. There is a collaborative effort with the police department as well as the municipal authorities to be able to sit together and attack the dynamics of that element as it relates to vehicles and driving habits and how we're moving forward. Quite recently, we had a session with a consultant who, and I've mentioned this in several interviews already, are looking at manuals and see how we could introduce the concept of a graduated driver's license. There's an educational element to it, there's a legislative improvement element to it, as well as to see how we can look at an enforcement standpoint of it to see how we can increase enforcement in areas such as highways, in rural areas, in areas where there are hotspots as it relates to those motorcycle accidents and accidents on a whole."
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