Guyana Police Force

TRAFFICKING DEPARTMENT

To Serve and Protect

The information presented above is stated accordingly to the law and is expected to provide the general public with adequate knowledge relative to the traffic laws and the penalties.

Each penalty is based entirely on the offences they fall onto. As of such, the GPF expects citizens to abide by the laws and strictly follow them without question.

As charges are addressed by an officer, it is expected of the recipient to follow the instructions given. They are expected to turn out at the courtroom at the given date and pay their fines promptly. Traffic officers are expected to obeyed when giving a ticket.

The Principal Act which requires every police officer, and in this specific case a traffic rank, who is responsible for issuing a traffic ticket to, unlike in the past, submit a copy of the ticket to the Officer in Charge (OC) of the police station in the given station district. Apart from submitting a copy of the ticket to the OC of the station, he is also obliged to present a copy to the Clerk of Court in the magisterial district where the offence was committed.

This is to ensure that the driver who committed the offence/s, has their information recorded along with all drivers' documents for further inspection. So far as the owners of vehicles are concerned, that is to say the legitimate owners of vehicles…, because there is nowadays a lot of people driving vehicles around the streets of the city who do not own a vehicle and they are committing criminal offences. That is why the caveat was introduced to say legitimate owners, bona fide owners of vehicles, will not have any difficulty, whatsoever.

Persons were advised of their responsibilities as drivers, fare structure, and the level of professionalism attached to transporting passengers. It was recommended that the drivers be issued with an identification card, so that they can be easily recognized. Adding to that, the fare structure should be plastered on the front left side of the vehicle’s windscreen.

Drivers use the left side of the road in Guyana. Seatbelt use is required by law and is enforced; failure to use a seatbelt when riding in the front seat of any vehicle can result in a fine. There presently are no laws in Guyana concerning use of child car seats, but the use of age-appropriate seats is strongly recommended for child passengers. Both drivers of and passengers on motorcycles must wear protective helmets that meet certain specifications. Talking on cellular telephones while driving is illegal; however, it is legal if a driver uses a hands free set. Mini-buses (small 12- to 15-passenger vans) ply various routes both within and between cities. Mini-bus drivers have come under severe criticism from the government, press, and private citizens for speeding, aggressive and reckless driving, overloading of vehicles, poor vehicle maintenance and repair, and offensive remarks directed at passengers, but little change in their driving behavior has been noted. Mini-buses have been involved in the majority of fatal vehicular accidents in recent years.

Driving in Guyana can be potentially very hazardous. The rate of traffic accident fatalities in Guyana is higher than in the United States. Cars, large commercial vehicles, horse drawn carts, bicyclists, motorcycles, free range livestock, stray dogs, pedestrians, aggressive "mini-buses" and sleeping animals all share narrow, poorly maintained roads. Aggressive, speeding vehicles on the same roads with slow-moving vehicles makes driving in Guyana especially dangerous. Driving at unsafe speeds, reckless driving, tail-gating, quick stops without signaling, passing at intersections, and passing on crowded streets is commonplace. Driving at night poses additional concerns as many roads are not lit, some drivers do not lower high beam lights, livestock sleep on the road and many pedestrians congregate by the roadside. You should exercise caution at all times while driving and avoid driving outside of Georgetown at night when possible.

The above stated charges are expected to not be violated. They are only a few of the many that are placed to ensure the safety of the public. As each section states, there are fines and penalties if a driver is found guilty of any of the above charges. These three charges are among the most common to be violated by driver everyday, and as of such. It is important to raise notice of this. It is expected in the near future for these charges to be updated to fit the current criteria.