ARTICLE - TRAFFIC MEASURES

THE TRAFFIC SERVICE ANNOUNCES A SERIES OF MEASURES
(Haiti Libre) -

Following the 2 recent serious accidents that have occurred on Morne Tapion, the Police Commissioner, Will Dimanche, Director of Traffic Services, and the Traffic Police, informed that as of Monday, April 9, there will be a prohibition in Haiti, of drivers of trucks carrying goods and also transporting passengers.

"...It is strictly forbidden that the trucks transporting provisions or goods, also transport passengers. Only buses are authorized to transport passengers. These trucks are not supposed to be overloaded. We know very well that when a vehicle has a weight greater than its capacity, the braking system of the vehicle does not respond efficiently. If they are overloaded, we will issue tickets and confiscate the vehicle if necessary", reminding that talks are underway with the Ministry of Public works, to establish weighing stations, to check if a truck is overloaded.

Will Dimanche also said that all truck drivers must be affiliated with an organization of transport "[...] When a driver is a member of an organization, its vehicle is subject to inspection, and the driver is trained [...] These organizations clearly identify the vehicle, and each driver has a file... [...] We will give tickets to drivers who are not affiliated, and we will seize their vehicle. Once he has corrected his situation, we will return to him his vehicle...

[...] It will also be prohibited in the same vehicles that transport goods, that it can also carry livestock. There will be trucks to transport animals, others to transport passengers, and others for goods [...]"

While acknowledging that the mission of the Traffic Services, and of the Traffic Police, is to ensure the safety of roads and highways in Haiti, Commissioner Will Dimanche recalled that his Service can not be everywhere, given a staffing and equipment problem [500 officers and fewer than 100 motorcycles for the displacement of the entire country]...

Hopefully, the Government will release an emergency financial means, so that beyond the prohibitions announced, the measures become reality, and that we can enforce them throughout the territory, with all the force of the law; by punishing offenders severely, and effectively protect the population.