By Sue-Ann Wayow
EFFECTIVE today (March 2, 2026) mandatory Fixed Penalty Warnings will be implemented for 18 specified traffic violations.
The reminder came from the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation last week.
The violations are contained in the Eleventh Schedule to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, Chap. 48:50, aimed at improving road safety, encouraging compliance, and promoting corrective action, the ministry stated via media release.
Motorists in breach of the listed violations will be issued a Fixed Penalty Warning instead of a Fixed Penalty Notice. The warning provides motorists with an opportunity to correct the identified defect within a prescribed three or seven business day period, excluding weekends, public holidays, Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday.
The ministry advised that upon issuance of a warning, the motorist is required to remedy the defect and present the vehicle at any police station or any office of the Licensing Authority in Trinidad and Tobago within the allotted timeframe for verification.
Upon verification, a Certificate of Compliance will be issued to the motorist and no Fixed Penalty will be imposed.
Failure to comply within the specified timeframe will result in the warning being converted to a Fixed Penalty Notice, and the motorist will be required to pay the applicable fixed penalty as prescribed by law.
All motorists are required to familiarise themselves with the new process and comply fully with traffic laws.
List of traffic violations and compliance period for three business days:
- No identification lights for the illumination of identification marks on vehicles at night
- Number of passengers to be carried not printed on right front door of taxi
- No tare and MGW printed on vehicles
- Vehicle without silencers or fitted with cut outs
- Unauthorised lights to front or rear of vehicles
- Unauthorised letters and figures on vehicle
- Vehicles without two head lamps
- Vehicle without park lights
- Vehicle without tail lights
- No “left hand drive” notice affixed to appropriate vehicle
- Vehicle without horn
- Vehicle without reflecting mirror
- Use of vehicle with no windshield wiper or defective wiper
- Public Service vehicle without spare tyre
- Placing of advertisement on side of window of taxi
List of traffic violations and compliance period for seven business days:
- Permitting excess sparks, smoke or visible vapor to come from vehicle
- Vehicle with defective fittings
- Use of noisy vehicle
