The Editor, Sir:

The person or organisation that initiated the 311 toll-free number for Crime Stop should be commended for that initiative. My concern is that there should be a similar service for the traffic department. We constantly see many dangerous traffic violations but it is difficult to know where these should be reported. My experience in trying to do this has ended in at least three police stations in Kingston giving me the runaround.

When members of the police traffic department are on the roads there is marked improvement in the driving habits of our motorists. If drivers know that someone is watching, it is possible that the carnage on our roads would be reduced significantly. A three-digit toll-free number would help motorists to be part of this monitoring process and would alert the police to offences. We know they might not be able to be everywhere at once.

A toll-free number could be used to report a simple offence like a motorist changing his wheel in the outside lane, to more complex offences like the racing buses and taxis that speed in the middle of Hagley Park Road creating a third lane and obstructing oncoming traffic. This overtaking happens in both directions! Also, there are the hordes of taxis that fly down the turn-right lanes off Hope Road then dart in front of the line of traffic at virtually all the junctions. I have seen several hit-and-run incidents. These could be reported and also assist in providing much-needed revenue to the Government coffers.

I am, etc.,

Concerned Motorist

markyjohn@hotmail.com