why did the goverment bring in a seatbelt law when most of NCC lorry’s had no provision for them so in effect breaking their own laws

All this road safety Czar that this police inspector Blades is talking of is a waste of time, never heard of this traffic Czar thing.
The police can do the job,
have traffic cops on the roads day and night,for every violation from DWI, vehicles with no brake lights,the ones that are running the red lights, polluting the air especially
those yellow buses and catch the ones that are speeding and noisy.The Courts have to get serious with the offenders with suspending their licences heavy fines and jail time according to the violation.
These bad drving habbits are out of control and must
be stopped.

Having laws that make sense and improve safety is good. But no law is making life more secure, once it is not being enforced. And that is too often the case. Police should be more out on the roads and enforce the existing laws. And then, just handing out a “ticket” is not enough, the administration should ensure, that people are really paying for it. As long as this practice of not enforcing the laws and people not paying the fine nothing will change. Having a czar or not doesn’t make a difference.

It just would not work!!!

Forget about the Czar and the talking….just enforce the law!!!

I spend a lot of time in Barbados and as soon as I get on the road someone is right “on your bumper”....ZR vans and the buses trying to run you off the road….everyone seems to be driving too fast on those small roads.

The Police seem to have no interest in enforcing the laws that exist!!

A Czar will accomplish nothing!

Even though I think a traffic Czar is urgently needed and long over due, the onus still rests on the driver/s themselves to use good judgement and care when on the islands’roads and highways.

It is safe to say that some drivers do have a reckless disregard for other drivers Unfortunately, this does result at times in very tragic accidents.

It is a given that the Police can only do so much in the enforcement of the traffic laws.

But in the final analysis, it rests with the judgement of the driver/s.

Even if as the Minister said the the contingent was formed before the crown was decided i still think he was right to exclude Gabby from the trip. The confrontation Gabby had with someone from the media shows he can’t take criticism and cannot control his anger. he should be made to return the crown and apologise to the country for his behavior.

What Traffic Czar what! Just more pork-barreling patronage, jobs-fuh-de-boys.

All the police have to do, as several contributors have said, is to enforce the road laws. Use radar to catch speeders, enforce DUI laws [including driving under the influence of ganja], and link traffic violations to insurance premiums.

Traffic czar? Forget it!

CZAR of WHAT? Please give me a break. What we do need are laws (if not already applicable)that prohibits the transporting of people on OPEN and UNSAFE flat bedded types of vehicles. What should we expect to happen in a situation; where people are hauled around on the back of open trucks, pickups etc., and without safety rails or other protection? In an accident, they are going die or be seriously injured.

A new traffic safety department is best handled by the MTW. That agency should handle all traffic safety issues. Then the police should come in as the enforcement agency. However, Government needs to start retooling the MTW in a new direction. This is the only way we can really move ahead with the traffic safety problems that plague our highways. The police force is not a law making agency. We need to stop thinking the police department is the answer to our problems. Those days are gone. We are more educated and should see the broader picture. The government has the tools, but cannot implement the programs and that is because we need to look international if we cannot find the answers locally.

Please!!!! 

What is a czar going to do about the dangerous driving?  Barbados needs tough laws against speeding, wearing seatbelts and drinking and driving first. Secondly, it needs the equipment (radar, breathalizer)and the police staff to enforce them.

Get real!

Enforcement, Enforcement, Enforcement should be the mantra. We need a dedicated squad of police to focus on enforcing the rules of the road. In addition, there should be a heavy police presence on the ABC “highway”.

At the end of the day people have been saying for a long time Barbados needs to bring in and establish stricter Transport laws. This is long overdue. you have dangerious drivers on the road, dangerous unsafe vehicles that should be scrapped and uninsured drivers.  Then some of the roads, roundabouts are so badly designed and with increasing traffic on the road something needs to be done ASAP. Therefore you need more than a czar you need proper legislation and enforcable penalities.

Another buercrat talking about creating a CZAR.

The Barbados Goverment have the BRAINS available to them to DRAFT a new set of road regulations and RULES.

The points systems have and still is working in other Countries. 1 ,2 ,or 3 points
for for every offence along with a fine, after accumalating 10 points you loose your license ,eliminating Court time and cost unless you appeal, then you go to court ,renewal on your insurance is based on no outstanding tickets .
Goverment can create a data base that the Insurers can look up your driving record.
it might not be perfect but it will reduce the problem .

Barbadian living overseas.

Here are some free ideas::

1) Ban all passengers from the back of pickups & trucks. Penalty - $100 per passenger on the spot fine, paid by the driver, to be paid via Surepay within 7days (to avoid clogging up the courts.

2) Ban the use of cell phone whilst driving. Penalty - $100 on the spot fine, to be paid as above.

3) Introduce tough drink-driving laws that include breathalysers. Penalty - 1st offence, lose licence for a month, 2nd a year, 3rd permanently.

4) Put speed limit signs on all roads & enforce with speed detection equipment. Penalty as appropriate.

5) Annual compulsory vehicle safety & roadworthyness checks on ALL vehicles. If the vehicle fails these checks it is not allowed n the road. Penalty for driving with an unsafe vehicle -$1000, payable within 2wks or vehicle is scrapped.

Not a bad start eh?

I think a road safety czar would be a good idea here in Barbados.

They would need to have the power and authority to put in place a coherent policy that would be followed and endorsed by the authorities.

Some clear and straight forward rules would help in the first instance.
I’m only a visitor here in Barbados but spend most of my time here.

The transport system is an obvious target…boy, some of those people drive like lunatics.
Driving while using mobile phone!! I even see the police do this in Bridgetown.
Dual Carriage ways… why do people think it is ok to drive at 20kph in the outside lane? All we have are people switching from lane to lane every 10 yards.
And my personal favourite…why does nobody use indicators on this island? I’d like to start a campaign…“Flashing lights aren’t just for Christmas”

John, you are the BEST!  Great suggestios!