KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Island Traffic Authority (ITA) will be intensifying action against drivers operating vehicles with illegal lights.

ITA Director Ludlow Powell made the disclosure at a JIS Think Tank at the agency’s headquarters in Kingston on Tuesday.

Powell noted that vehicles are being observed with multicoloured and flashing lights, which are in breach of the Road Traffic Act.

“Only emergency vehicles are supposed to have flashing lights, and you see flashing lights on various vehicles,” he said.  

“We are also seeing a proliferation of blue lights and various coloured lights that are illegal and contrary to the specifications in the Road Traffic Act, so we will be clamping down,” he added, noting that only police vehicles should have blue lights.

Powell also pointed to an emerging trend of motorists installing a bar with “extremely bright lights” at the front of the vehicle, which is used in place of the headlamps.    

He noted that some drivers have put a very dark tint on their windshields, which prevents them from seeing clearly at night, and so they install these lights of higher intensity to compensate.

Not only is the practice illegal, but it interferes with the visibility of others, as the lights are too bright for the oncoming motorist. “This contributes to many accidents, and while people think it’s cute or even funny; it is a dangerous practice, so we will not issue a fitness certificate for any vehicle that is in breach of the regulations,” Powell warned.

He said that people will be asked to have the correct lights fitted before the vehicle can be issued with a certificate of fitness.

Powell informed that the ITA team will be looking out for these vehicles during spot checks. 

“If we come across vehicles that are in breach, we will take action as the law permits us to do, and where we find that officers are not doing their job, the appropriate action will be taken and they will be held accountable,” he said.