KINGSTON, Jamaica— National Security Minister, Dr Horace Chang, said a Traffic Ticket Web-lookup portal will be launched in the coming weeks that will allow motorists to check the status of their traffic tickets, print their records and use these to attend to their matters in the courts.

Chang made the disclosure in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, where he also announced that the Administration will be launching a new end-to-end digitised ticketing system that will coincide with the coming into effect of the new Road Traffic Act.

“As of February 1, 2023, the portal will show how many demerit points have been accumulated and if your licence has been suspended,” Chang said.

He implored employers to have their drivers generate their driving reports from the portal to show that they are in good standing. This is particularly important as “it will be an offence to employ or permit a person to drive, without the person being the holder of a driver’s licence, thus making the employer liable to a fine of $30,000 or 10 days’ imprisonment,” the security minister warned.

He said there will be a subsequent media release with instructions for how the portal is to be accessed.

Meanwhile, Chang said the Ministry of National Security continues to collaborate with its partners to fully implement the end-to-end digitised traffic ticketing system.

“Motorists must be mindful that as of February 1, 2023, traffic enforcement will be efficiently managed by the Traffic Ticket Management System and rogue motorists will not escape prosecution,” he said.

“All information will be readily available to police officers who will be outfitted with either a smart check application (in their vehicles) or handheld devices. Rogue motorists must remember that when they attend court they are at the discretion of the judge. Better to pay up your tickets now. Motorists be warned,” the minister declared.

He told the House that the implementation of the end-to-end digitised traffic ticketing system will be a game changer in restoring public order and safety on the nation’s roads.

The carnage on the roads resulted in a record 488 lives being lost in 2022; this is one more than the 487 who perished in 2021.

In the meantime, the government is looking to extend the ticketing system to address other areas of law and order in a way that will minimise conflict between the police and the citizenry.

“Our police officers are being equipped with modern, rugged handheld devices that have proven to improve their capacity and efficiency in traffic enforcement. However, this is only the beginning. Digitised ticketing can be expanded to address other areas of public order and restore a level of dignity and humanity in how the laws are enforced. So no longer will sound equipment or vendors’ goods need to be seized for breaches of the respective laws. A properly designed digitised ticketing system can be utilised in those instances,” said Chang.

“This is the forward-thinking, technology-enabled manner in which this government is seeking to restore public safety and good order in our society,” he added.