MANDEVILLE, Manchester — A senior cop has pointed to the importance of the Government’s plan to overhaul the system of motor vehicle dealerships using demonstration licence plates, pointing out that they were only able to identify the driver of a speeding Mercedes Benz GLE 450 because the car crashed, after ignoring a police command to stop, on Winston Jones Highway near Mandeville on Tuesday.

“It needs to be done like yesterday, because it is a security risk. We can’t track the blue plates on our system and some of them are bogus,” the cop told the Jamaica Observer.

“The vehicle was signalled to stop twice, and imagine, when the driver was told to switch off the vehicle during the second stop he disobeyed and sped off. The GLE is a very fast car and within minutes the car crashed into an Axio and a truck,” the cop added.

There were no reports of injuries.

Another policeman, who identified himself as Constable Barrett assigned to the Area Three Highway Patrol, said about 12:30 pm police were conducting speed and spot check operations along the May Pen to Williamsfield leg of PJ Patterson Highway when the red GLE Mercedes Benz was signalled to stop.

“It was clocked at 162 kilometres per hour in an 80 kilometre zone,” the policeman said. “The vehicle eluded us… we called for assistance. An inspector and team at Williamsfield stated that they stopped the vehicle. The driver stopped and he sped off later on, resulting in a collision along the Winston Jones Highway,” he said.

A police source said the driver of the car identified himself as a car mart dealer. However, the police have expressed concern that it is difficult to trace cars with demonstration plates.

“We have an issue with the blue plates, because once they refuse to stop, we have no way of knowing who these vehicles belong to as they cannot be identified by our current system,” he said.

Last month Transport Minister Daryl Vaz said the arrangement for the use of demonstration plates is being abused and posing a national security risk.

“It is a matter of huge concern, not only as it relates to road use but national security,” Vaz said at the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House.

He explained that the plates are utilised in the automobile trade to move vehicles from the wharf, and to demonstrate cars for sale, etc. However, “there is credible evidence that demonstration plates are being exploited by individuals to facilitate criminal activities. Compounding the issue, the police are currently unable to trace these plates through their smart check system”.

He said the Government will address the problem by amending legislation to overhaul the system to support a more transparent and accountable regime.

He said the system will be revamped and replaced with a web-based permit under which dealers will be able to access the plates as required. This will allow the authorities to be better able to enforce and monitor compliance. The benefits will include:

• ease in administration, management and enforcement;

• dealer online application; and

• printed permits with QR code for enforcement verification.