Key Takeaways
- Taxi operators and residents staged protests in Westmoreland over poor road conditions and the upcoming demerit point system.
- They expressed frustration about ticketing practices and the lack of communication from police officers during stops.
- The government aims to improve road safety with the demerit system, which assigns points for traffic violations and can lead to license suspension.
- A delay in implementing the demerit system follows a stakeholder agreement and includes a pending review and education program.
- Despite a 10% reduction in road fatalities, motorcyclists remain the most affected group with speeding as the leading cause.
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Taxi operators and residents staged roadblocks on Monday in several areas of Westmoreland, including Shrewsbury, Bullet Tree, and Harford. They were protesting poor road conditions as well as the upcoming demerit point system.
According to Observer Online, a resident reported that the protest began after 6 a.m.
Reports indicate that protesters are frustrated with the poor conditions of the roads they travel on daily. They are also upset about the government’s new demerit point system that is set to become law soon.
Government say it designed the demerit point system.
The government states that the new demerit system was not designed solely to punish drivers, but primarily to improve road safety. Unfortunately, too many people are losing their lives on Jamaica’s thoroughfares due to reckless and careless driving.
The protesters claim that the police are not providing any explanations. When they stop drivers on the road, they simply issue tickets without asking questions. If drivers inquire about the reasons for the tickets, the police tell them to ask the government instead, according to one resident.
Even before the protest, the authorities postponed the start date for the new demerit point system. It was originally set for October 1, 2026. This delay comes after an agreement made by the Public Transport Operators Steering Committee and other transportation stakeholders.
The implementation is pending a comprehensive review.
This review is anticipated to include recommendations from the committee. Along with that will be the introduction of an educational program.
Under the demerit system, every driver starts with a clean slate and zero points. However, as time goes on, authorities add points to a driver’s record for specific traffic violations using a computerized system. A driver’s license will be automatically suspended once their total points reach certain thresholds.
According to the Island Traffic Authority (ITA), there were 242 fatalities resulting from 209 fatal crashes reported by the Jamaica Information Service. The data indicates that motorcyclists accounted for 63 deaths, which is approximately 26% of all road fatalities. Private motor vehicle drivers followed with 55 deaths (23%), pedestrians accounted for 53 deaths (22%), and other road users made up the remaining fatalities, as reported by the Jamaica Observer.
The ITA’s report from September 15, 2026, confirms that the 242 deaths represent a 10% reduction compared to the same period in 2025, according to the Jamaica Information Service. Motorcyclists continue to be the most affected group, and the Authority has noted that speeding is the leading cause of these fatal crashes.