1.7m traffic offenders: Why the long wait to act?

The inefficiency of the traffic police has led to the number of traffic offenders to grow to 1.7 million.

COMMENT

The question being asked now is why did the traffic police wait for a staggering 1.7 million offenders before taking action.

When traffic summonses are issued you have a month to pay up or face court action. Then why didn’t the police issue arrest warrants to offenders after a month, which should be the normal police procedure.

Everything is computerised now, surely the police can check and find out who has paid the summonses and who has not.

The traffic offenders know it will take long time before the police will take action and this is partly the reason why many are not coming forward to settle their summonses.

The other reason is that the offenders are waiting for rebates to be given before paying up.

If a driver has committed an offence and the stipulated fine is fixed, why is there a reason to give discounts to offenders?

The police are not in the business of giving discounts and why are they being lenient on offenders?

Fines are imposed as a deterrent and reducing the amount is going against the purpose for what it is intended for.

Being lenient is a sign of weakness and the police have to show that they mean business and all offenders penalised.

This is also the reason why drivers are breaking traffic rules because the police are slow in taking action.

The police are not in business to give discounts to encourage offenders to pay up. Any action taken has to be swift and without fear or favour.

Now after realising 1.7 million drivers have not settled their summonses, the police are undertaking a massive operation, Ops Cantas Trafik, to bring the errant motorists to book.

Wasting police time

Are they not wasting resources going on a house-to-house campaign in search of traffic offenders and mounting roadblocks everywhere to screen motorists?

Mounting roadblocks all over place will definitely lead to traffic congestion and the traffic police who are tasked with ensuring a smooth traffic flow will become the culprits causing the jams.

Of course not wearing seat belts, talking on the mobile phones are offences, but nab the serious offenders of reckless driving, jumping queues, obstructing traffic and beating traffic lights.

The head of traffic police should take the blame for the inefficiency of the department.

What will happen if at least 3% of the 1.7 million traffic offenders who feel they do not deserve the summonses decide to take matter to court?

Then there will be 51,000 court cases pending and with courts having a huge backlog of cases will be under further strain.

There should be a system like in other countries such as in New Zealand where if the traffic offender fails to settle the fine within the time given a higher amount is imposed.

And if the offender still refuses to pay, then he has to bear the court fee in addition to the original fine.

When this operation is over and done with, traffic cops should start on a new slate and take action swiftly, then serial offenders will know they cannot run from the long arm of the law.

RamaSegar is a FMT team member.