Picture it: Miami, Christmas time, 2018. You disembark your
flight and breathe in that "good" foreign air, and you immediately start
thinking about strolling through the aisles of the nearest 'wally
world' aka Walmart or even a 'TarJay' aka Target. You're so excited to
begin your US adventures that you race to the rental car, dump your
suitcases in the back trunk, and get ready...what's the first thing you
do? BUCKLE YOUR SEATBELT! If you're like me then you also clip your cell
phone to the console or plug into whatever USB thing makes it
hands-free and THEN you pull out of the lot.
How come we know exactly what to do when we hit the shores of
the US but fail to do so right here at home? Welp...courtesy of a set
of amendments to the road traffic laws, we're all going to have to be a
little more conscientious about the way we use the road and in obeying
traffic laws.
One of those amendments makes it illegal to use your cell
phone and when I say USE I mean hold, rest in your lap, or have on your
physical person! From here on in...it has to be affixed to the vehicle.
Why? Because we're an easily distracted bunch. How many times have you
nearly swerved into another lane trying to answer a message, or what
happens if your phone falls from your lap?
Another amendment is that you can't have an open container of
alcohol in the car as you drive. Which means that those weekends of bar
hopping, drinks in hand, and in car, will be curtailed.
Does it sound harsh? Maybe. Will the transition be easy?
Probably not, but are the amendments necessary? Absolutely! If you've
been paying attention then you know that the number of traffic accidents
and traffic fatalities are on the rise. As road users, we simply have
not been doing enough to drive with due caution and care; especially in
Nassau where traffic is already a nightmare.
So what does this mean? It means you can expect police
officers to take a more aggressive approach to enforcement. It means
driving without your seatbelt, or while operating your cell phone will
get you ticketed. It means that on the weekend, you'll have to assign a
designated driver, and make sure you finish your drink of choice before
going to the next spot. But it also means that the roads will be
safer...for all of us.
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