AG gets tough with motorists

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By Theresa Goodwin

[email protected]

Motorists in Antigua and Barbuda who have been ticketed more than three times for using cellular phones while driving stand to lose their licences or have them suspended.

Attorney General Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin, on Monday, put those drivers who he said continue to “deliberately ignore” the new cellular phone law on notice.

“Who do not do it by will, will do it by force. We are a law of society where justice must be done,” the AG said.

Earlier this year, Parliament approved amendments to the Vehicles and Road Traffic Amendment Act of 2018, thereby making it an offence, of careless driving, to be holding and using a hand-held mobile device.

Under the law, motorists who have been “observed and caught” by police using cell phones while operating a vehicle will have to pay a fine of EC$500.

Benjamin, who was speaking during the Budget Debate in Parliament on Monday, also addressed the issue of bright lights on certain vehicles at nights, which impair the vision of drivers going in the opposite direction.

“We are going to have police officers deal with that issue beginning this month,” Benjamin said.

“Our country has become very ill-disciplined. We are going to put some common sense back into this country.”

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