These statistics came from Superintendent of Police Willard Cunningham, who heads the Traffic Division.
Mr. Cunningham pointed to the numbers Wednesday as his division launched ﾓOperation Defective Vehicleﾒ, an initiative geared at cracking down on vehicles unfit to be on the road. ﾠThe campaign will be carried out throughout the month of July.
Mr. Cunningham said defective vehicles are likely to cause injury or damage to person or property. Vehicles that produce excessive noise, smoke or smell all fall into this category.
Motorists driving such vehicles could be made to pay an $80 fine.
Monthly initiatives of the Traffic Division are designed to educate and inform members of the public about the traffic laws and the proper and safe way to use streets, Mr. Cunningham said.
ﾓThe driving public should obey all traffic rules and regulations and in doing so the amount of serious and fatal accidents in the country would be reduced,ﾒ he added.
Confronted by the realization that the majority of traffic accidents occur on weekends, Mr. Cunningham said traffic police continue to use speed guns to detect speedsters.
ﾓWe have observed for the past four years in The Bahamas that many of the fatal and serious accidents take place between Thursday and Sunday and involve young men between the ages of 17 ﾖ35,ﾒ he said.
He urged partygoers to travel with a designated driver.
ﾓIt does appear that the trend that we are seeing in the Bahamas is not a good one because it affects young male drivers on our streets who drink and drive,ﾒ Mr. Cunningham said.
Traffic officials believe that speed is the largest contributor to traffic accidents on the streets.
On Monday, 71 persons were ticketed for speeding along the Cable Beach strip, Assistant Superintendent Charles Walkine said.
ﾓWe are not just targeting speed violators but everyone who break the traffic laws,ﾒ he added.
For the year, the Traffic Division has issued more than 6,000 tickets to motorist for various offences.
Yvette Rolle-Major, The Bahama Journal
