Traffic ticket amnesty ends today
ST ANDREW, Jamaica — Today, October 31, is the final day for motorists to pay outstanding tickets without repercussions, as the traffic ticket amnesty ends at midnight.
The amnesty allowed 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 replace the existing legislation of 1938 and will establish new road traffic offences as well as provide increased penalties for current offences.
With this initiative the Government is hoping to increase revenue this year by collecting the outstanding amounts owed by delinquent motorists.
Minister of National Security Robert Montague told the House of Representatives in July that current data showed outstanding traffic tickets totalled $2.2 billion.
Additionally, there is approximately $566 million in outstanding payments owed to the courts by motorists who contested the offence and were fined after being found guilty, up to December 31, 2016.
Meanwhile, Tax Administration Jamaica said the agency will be stepping up security today to ensure that customers and staff are safe in anticipation of a last day rush.