TTPS QUARTERLY No.1 (1)

Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Targets Road Carnage
One of the foundational goals contained in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s (TTPS) Strategic Plan 2014-2016 is to
“Improve Safety on Our Roadways and in other Public Places”. Data from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Branch Records and
Statistics Section reveal that in 2015 Trinidad and Tobago experienced the lowest figure, in terms of both road traffic deaths
and fatal road traffic accidents in over 10 years. 147 road deaths and 128 fatal road traffic accidents were recorded
compared to 165 and 147 in 2014, representing an 11% reduction in lives lost, and a 13% reduction in fatal road traffic
accidents. In fact, the last time road deaths dropped to below 150 was in 2002.
Although the data indicate a positive downward trend as it relates to road traffic deaths and fatal road traffic accidents,
these figures are still unacceptably high for a country with an estimated 2,654 kilometers of paved road surfaces.
Safe System Approach to Road Casualty Reduction
In developing the strategic plan for reducing the number or road deaths and injuries, the TTPS is attempting to build on the
“Safe System” approach to road safety as recommended by the United Nations World Health Organisation. This
methodology utilizes data driven models to help identify areas of high risk to be given priority for interventions and
resource allocation.
300
Fatal Road Traffic Deaths and Accidents in Trinidad & Tobago 2006 -2015
# ROAD TRAFFIC DEATHS
250
200
150
100
214 214
188 188
262
233
222
192
206
169
181
150
193
169
# FATAL RTAs
Linear (# ROAD TRAFFIC
DEATHS)
165
154 147 147
133
128
50
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
that human error is inevitable. It therefore aims to create
a road transport system that makes allowance for errors
and minimizes the consequences - in particular, the risk of
death or serious injury via more forgiving roadsides and
inclusion of more energy absorbing and mitigating
devices such as cable barriers, guardrails and impact
attenuators.
Enforcement
Figure 2 Safe Systems Approach to Road Safety.
Source: Towards ZERO New Zealand Road Casualty Reduction Report (2015)
Under the Safe System, the pillars targeted are:
1. Safer Road Users
2. Safe Speeds
3. Safe Roadways
4. Safe Vehicles
While the Safe System approach to road safety recognises
the need for responsible road user behaviour, it also accepts
Changing behaviour via enforcement requires that
drivers and other road users be made aware that their
actions or inactions, introduce an unacceptable level of
risk into the roadway system, be it by drinking and
driving, driving while using a mobile phone, having an
unsecured load, not wearing a seatbelt or not utilizing
walkovers when crossing highways and that there are
consequences to such.
In 2015, officers from the TTPS issued 42,132 fixed
penalty notices (traffic tickets) to delinquent motorists
for breaches of traffic laws to a value of over TT$40
million dollars. Officers from the Highway Patrol Units
issued close to 50% of all the traffic tickets issued by the
TTPS in 2015, with the top five (5) most ticketed offences
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