Starting Monday, police will be enforcing the long ignored seatbelts laws, says Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest.
The laws were passed back in March, 2002, but have never been enforced, due to the public’s refusal to obey them.
All drivers and passengers will be required to use seatbelts or risk fines ranging from $100 up to $500.
Turnquest says the laws will be strictly enforced, but that remains to be seen, considering almost no laws in the Bahamas are strictly enforced.
Nonetheless, police say that as of Monday, drivers not wearing seatbelts will be fined $300. Passengers not wearing seatbelts wwill be fined $100. If children are found riding in vehicles not secured by a seatbelt or child safety, the driver of the vehicle will be fined $500.
There have been over 2,000 traffic accidents and 40 traffic fatalities in New Providence in 2010.
