Vaz Allocates Five Per Cent of Traffic Fines to National Road Safety Push

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A fresh stream of funding equal to five per cent of traffic fine receipts, estimated at about $155.7 million, will now be channelled into Jamaica's National Road Safety Policy through the Ministry of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications.

The announcement came on Tuesday from portfolio minister Daryl Vaz, who outlined the change during his presentation in the Sectoral Debate.

"Prior to my assumption of this portfolio, there was no allocation from traffic fines towards road safety efforts. I am pleased to announce the approval of a five per cent allocation of traffic fines to the Ministry of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications that will bolster national road safety efforts," Vaz told the House.

"This works out to about $13 million per month. Some of these funds will be dedicated to public education and behaviour-change interventions across the country," he added.

According to the minister, the road safety policy itself is being refreshed to mirror present-day conditions and to fall in step with the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030. He said the revised framework would steer focused measures aimed at lowering deaths and injuries on the country's roads while tightening cooperation among government agencies.

Vaz further revealed that an international tender has been launched to bring in specialist expertise for shaping and rolling out a long-running national road safety campaign.

In the interim, the minister credited continued joint work among the Transport Authority, the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Island Traffic Authority for keeping monitoring activity going across the island.

"These collaborations continue to improve order and safety within the public transportation system," he said.

During the reporting period, Vaz said, 1,915 vehicles found operating illegally were impounded, while 19,413 enforcement actions were taken against operators for an assortment of infractions.

"These measures have strengthened compliance, improved order in the sector, and contributed to a record licensing year, reflecting a 3.8 per cent increase over the previous year," Vaz said.