SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — OVER 300 motorists in Westmoreland were ticketed by members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Traffic Division for various breaches of the Road Traffic Act earlier this week.

According to Senior Superintendent Police Calvin Allen, who heads the JCF’s Traffic Division, Tuesday’s operation in Westmoreland was a kick-start to an enforcement drive which will eventually be carried out islandwide.

SSP Allen explained that the enforcement initiative is geared toward preventing a repeat of the 327 lives that were lost on the nation’s roads last year. The parish of Westmoreland accounted for the lion’s share of last year’s road fatalities with over 40.

“The traffic department, recognising what is happening on the streets generally, decided that we would start the new year by coming into the parish of Westmoreland, being the parish with the leading number of fatalities. So it was a very deliberate strategy on our part to come into Westmoreland to conduct this operation,” Allen said during a press briefing.

He added: “It’s not a one-off programme. It will continue. We will be revisiting this parish, we will be heading into other parishes too. And so we want to send the clearest of messages to all users of the road — get your documents in order because we are not going to let up as it relates to adherence to the Road Traffic Act.”

During the operation in Westmoreland this week, a number of motorcycle operators were among the motorists targeted by the team of police from Kingston and Westmoreland, along with the Island Traffic Authority (ITA).

“The situation with a lot of our bikers continue to be a challenge and so we were able to seize a number of bikes in Westmoreland today. Additionally, a number of tickets were issued for persons who were not wearing their helmets, in most instances,” Allen said.

Faced with a steady hike in road fatalities involving motorcyclists, last week the Westmoreland police warned of the coming of an intensified campaign against persons illegally operating motorbikes this year.

“It will be an all-out attack against motorcyclists operating illegally in the parish during the coming year,” Inspector Amos Thompson, head of the Police Traffic Department in Westmoreland, warned.