Preparations are well underway for the introduction of hand-held mobile devices to replace the old method that traffic cops currently use to issue tickets to offending motorists.

“We already have the hand-held devices in the island,” Paula Fletcher executive director of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), told Auto this week.

Fletcher said however that the implementation of the new system was awaiting the finalisation of the software to be used.

Upon implementation, traffic cops would do away with the paper pad, instead the device would print a ticket after information on the offence and driver is entered.

“The devices interface with traffic ticketing database, telling if tickets are outstanding,” Fletcher explained. “It will show all unpaid tickets,” she said.

Fletcher added that the hand-held devices are similar in size to those currently being used by the National Water Commission and Jamaica Public Service personnel in the field.

But not all traffic cops will have these devices over the short term.

“It is not going to totally replace the paper-based system islandwide,” Fletcher disclosed. “We got 20 per cent of the total requirement.

We will see how it works.”

Availability of funds, Fletcher said, will dictate the roll out of the moblie units.

The NRSC executive director said however that traffic cops without hand-held units could continue to access the database through telephone.

She added that since September last year, the traffic ticketing system has been fully computerised with all the island’s traffic agencies connected.

“Since the new system, the police can call in and get information on a driver,” said Fletcher.

“There is interconnectivity between the Inland Revenue Department, Island Traffic authority the police and the courts,”added the NRSC executive director.

Under the new system, once a traffic ticket has not been paid the database automatically escalates it to the court. Motorists who have not paid are automatically displayed on the list and if they fail to attend court the judge can issue a warrant for their arrest.

In cases where points from a driver’s licence reached the threshold, the system will be able to electronically issue a notice of suspension.

All this information will be displayed on the new mobile device, Fletcher said.

Howver delinquent motorists with outstanding traffic tickets prior to September 2010 are not in the clear.

“You can still be manually checked as was done in the past,” said Fletcher.