Government Doubles Penalties for Vehicle Insurance Violations

Government moved to tighten the country’s traffic laws on Tuesday, introducing stiffer penalties and expanded enforcement powers as part of a push to modernize Belize’s road safety framework. During the House sitting, Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh tabled amendments that would significantly increase fines and jail time for motorists driving without insurance, measures he says are designed to strengthen compliance and give officers the authority they need to keep the roads safer.

 

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport

“The bill seeks to amend section 3 of the motor vehicle and road traffic Act to broaden the authority of traffic wardens, both from the department of transport and municipal authorities to include the enforcement of and the carrying out of duties under the motor vehicle Insurance (Third Party Risk) Act. With Respect to the latter, the penalties for insurance related offenses have remained unchanged since 1999 and no longer provides and adequate deterrent to violations under the Motor Vehicle Insurance Act. For instance, the most common offense, using a motor vehicle without insurance currently carries a penalty of a fine not exceeding four hundred dollars and an imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both. Accordingly, this bill seeks to amend the Motor Vehicle Insurance Act to increase the penalty for an offense of using a motor vehicle not covered by third party insurance from a fine not exceeding four hundred dollars and six months to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or imprisonment for a term not exceeding eight months.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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