ST ANDREW, Jamaica— Effective today, motorists can pay outstanding tickets without repercussions as the traffic ticket amnesty period begins.

The amnesty will allow motorists to pay outstanding traffic tickets without attracting demerit points; giving them the opportunity to begin with a clean slate before the new Road Traffic Act is implemented.

The updated Road Traffic Act will repeal and replace the existing legislation of 1938 and will establish new road traffic offences as well as provide increased penalties for current offences.

The Government also hopes to increase revenues by $2.8 billion this year by collecting outstanding amounts owed by delinquent motorists for traffic tickets.

Minister of National Security Robert Montague told the House of Representatives in July that current data showed that outstanding traffic tickets total $2.2 billion.

Additionally, there is approximately $566 million in outstanding payments owed to the court by motorists who contested the offence and were fined after being found guilty up to December 31, 2016.

Montague said that the amnesty would seek to facilitate the total of $2.8 billion owed for tickets and fines.

The traffic ticket amnesty period will run from August 2 to October 31.