Trinidad and Tobago’s perennial road safety crisis has been thrust into the spotlight through the sharply contrasting approaches by the current Government and the previous administration to amending the road traffic regulations.
The Government’s decision to double most traffic fines under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, effective January 1, 2026, has reignited debate over whether punitive penalties alone can meaningfully change driver behaviour, or whether a more collaboratively developed alternative would save more lives on the nation’s roads.
There is no denying the severity of the problem. Speeding, reckless driving, impaired driving and routine breaches of traffic laws through sheer indifference continue to claim lives and burden hospitals.
From that perspective, the Government’s argument for higher fines has merit. International evidence confirms that meaningful penalties can successfully deter violations, particularly when enforcement is consistent and visible. Fines that are too low risk being treated as minor inconveniences, rather than a serious sanction or a meaningful deterrent. Doubling penalties for dangerous conduct such as excessive speeding or repeat offences sends a clear signal that road safety is a priority.
However, the manner in which the amendments were enacted has caused citizens to react differently, as there was no previous public consultation or advisory in this regard.
The amendments were also not discussed during the presentation of the 2025–2026 Budget, nor the Finance Bill, and were introduced via Legal Notice on Christmas Day.
The previous Demerit Points System, introduced in 2017, was developed through collaboration among the Judiciary, law enforcement, transport authorities and legal stakeholders. By electronically tracking offences and escalating consequences—from warnings to licence suspension—it targeted habitual offenders with a behavioural focus rather than relying solely on financial punishment. When introduced, this system and its approach were described as seeking to reform errant driver behaviour over time by continuously reinforcing road safety objectives.
Yet, the previous system was not without flaws. Public education and enrollment were uneven, enforcement was inconsistent, and administrative delays weakened its impact. Many drivers never fully understood how demerit points accumulated or how they could avoid penalties. Without sustained and meaningful public awareness campaigns and reliable enforcement, even well-designed systems lose effectiveness.
If T&T is serious about making its roads safer, neither higher fines nor demerit points alone will suffice; a hybrid approach may be needed.
For road users to be fully enrolled and guided, major changes to traffic penalties should be clearly announced, thoroughly debated, and explained, with data demonstrating how they are expected to reduce accidents, fatalities and change errant behaviour from motorists. Consideration should also be given to fines which are proportionate and targeted, with the harshest penalties reserved for high-risk behaviours such as excessive speeding, DUI and repeated dangerous driving.
As the effectiveness of the newly announced amendments continues to be critically evaluated, it may be useful to consider that there are aspects of the Demerit Points System which can be included if strengthened and well communicated, rather than being fully sidelined. Real-time enforcement, automatic notifications to drivers, and clear thresholds for suspension could all combine to create a powerful deterrent, when taken collectively with increased fines.
Revenues from traffic fines could be ring-fenced for road safety initiatives, including better signage, improved road conditions, driver education, and enforcement capacity.
Improvements in road safety require coherent policy, consistent enforcement, public understanding and trust. Without these, the death toll on the nation’s roads will continue to rise.
