Caption: Brent Batson

By Alicia Chamely

THE police cannot cover every kilometre of the nation’s roadways. It is imperative, therefore the public heed caution and practice safe driving.

In the wake of the Indian Arrival Day long weekend, which saw two fatal vehicular accidents, Sergeant Brent Batson is appealing to the public to embrace road safety.

Batson, who serves as the Road Safety Coordinator of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) spoke with AZP news on Monday regarding the recent wave of car accidents and what can be done to keep our roads safe.

He said, with the possibility of the Demerit Point System being abolished, he was hoping there would be an increased use of technology, such as speed cameras, to hold dangerous drivers accountable.

Batson said, “What we are hoping for is the deployment of more technology. Really and truly our road network is expanding, we have the Point Fortin highway, we have the expansion of the highway in Sangre Grande. Really and truly camera enforcement is the way to go. Because that is what will set the playing field for 24/7 sort of enforcement and compliance”

He said himself and the traffic branch were in the process of holding discussions with the Ministry of Transport and Aviation and the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to identify “drop off zones” and other dangerous stretches of roadway that can be remedied.

Batson said in the immediate, they were going to install more lighting and signage along the roadways.

Despite the efforts of the police and various government agencies, he said, “It’s really the efforts of the public to embrace road safety and to understand the responsibility of driving a motor vehicle.”

Discussing the two accidents that took place between the 30 and 31 May, Batson said, “Tragically people see these things happen but then continue to drive reckless and say ‘well that can’t happen to me.’”

He said in the accident that took place on Saturday, where a taxi collided with a guard rail, the taxi hit the rail with such force it sliced through the vehicle, killing the passenger.

Batson said he was one of the investigators on scene at the accident near the Claxton Bay ramp, on the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway.

In that accident, four people were killed including a school aged child, when the vehicle they were riding in veered off the road and flipped.

Batson said, these tragedies had such a “ripple effect” on the nation’s roads and brought with them an immense amount of pain and distress for the deceased families.

He said when it comes to people travelling at high speeds, if an accident were to occur there is a higher likelihood that it would be fatal.

Batson said, “There is so much physics and kinetic energy involved in these things, I always tell people that speed becomes a force multiplier in this situation. Worse yet if the occupant is not wearing their seat belt.”

He reiterated his point that drivers need to understand the consequences of their dangerous driving and need to grasp the immense responsibility that comes with driving a vehicle.

Batson said, “Take it down and take your time because it’s all about reaching your destination safely.”

Thus far for the year 2025, there have been 44 road fatalities.

Part of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s election mandate was to remove the Demerit Point System, citing it had not impacted road safety and was instead adding to persons financial hardships with steep ticketing prices.

On Tuesday, Leader of the Opposition Penelope Beckles said she would not support the removal of the Demerit Point System.

Member of Parliament for Arouca/Lopinot Marvin Gonzales said in 2010 the government was under pressure to deal with road fatalities, with 250 being recorded that year.

He said at the time he was a technocrat at the Ministry of Works and Transport and worked with Arrive Alive to implement road safety measures.

He said over the next decade several legislations were passed, aimed at enhancing road safety, with the Demerit Point System being one of the legislative initiatives.

Gonzales said, “As a result, as they were being introduced on an incremental basis, we witnessed an incremental decline in road fatalities in Trinidad and Tobago to the extent that by 2020 and 2021 when all of these initiatives were introduced, Trinidad and Tobago being the only country in the world… recorded a 60 per cent decline in road fatalities.”

Both Beckles and Gonzales were speaking to the media at a press conference held by the opposition at their official office, Charles Street, Port-of-Spain.