Police in plea to motorists to inspect helmets and replace them if damaged
Police are urging motorists to inspect their helmets and replace them if they are damaged.
It comes as the Bermuda Police Service said reports of traffic infractions fell in February as Operation Vega, which was launched in July 2021, continues – however the number of drivers arrested for impaired driving remains a concern.
Acting Superintendent Robert Cardwell of the Tactical Operations Division, said 27 people were arrested in February on suspicion of impaired driving – including 11 caught in advertised roadside sobriety checkpoints this weekend.
“This compares to 14 motorists that were arrested in January,” he added. “If you drink – do not drive, the life you save might be your own.”
In the first two months of the year 41 motorists were arrested for impaired driving, compared to 23 for the same period last year.
Mr Cardwell also urged the public to be sure to use proper helmets when riding motorcycles on Bermuda’s roads.
“Injuries in both fatal and serious injury collisions are consistently attributable to head injury,” he said.
“As part of the investigation into these matters, we are specifically looking at helmets, to determine if improper use or substandard helmets are contributing to these injuries.
“We encourage all to inspect your helmets. If they are damaged in any way, it is imperative that they are replaced.”
Over the course of February, police issues 358 traffic tickets – down from 490 in January. In addition 56 motorists received official written warnings, down from 73.
The number of parking tickets also fell from 240 in the last reporting period to 105 in February.
Since the start of Operation Vega in July 2021, 8,923 traffic tickets have been issued.
The number of traffic tickets issued by police fell in February, according to recently released figures.
The number of speeding tickets issued fell from 254 to 222, with recorded speeds ranging from 58km/h to 94km/h.
Other tickets issued included, compared to the previous reporting period:
Traffic sign: 52 (-13)
Unlicensed vehicle: 24 (-22)
No third party insurance: 21 (-14)
No driver’s licence: 17 (-28)
Manner of driving: 5 (+1)
Disqualified driver: 0 (-2)
Seatbelt: 2 (-2)
Helmet: 8 (+3)
Handheld device: 3 (-12)
Defective vehicle: 2 (0)
Fail to give name/address: 0 (0)
Fail to stop: 2 (+2)
Fraudulent documents: 0 (-1)
Making false statement: 0 (-1)
License plate offence: 0 (-4)
Tint offence: 0 (-7)
Youth license offence: 0 (0)
Mr Cardwell added: “The Bermuda Police Service continues to receive reports from members of the public who have suffered a bad driving experience.
“This includes careless overtaking, such as overtaking on the inside, being cut off and cycles encroaching to the opposite side of the road.
“We encourage all to reflect on their own driving behaviour and ensure that you are not adding to the problem.”
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