By| Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News|
Amid growing national concern over Guyana’s escalating road fatalities, the Government has announced a series of major traffic reforms aimed at strengthening legislation, modernizing enforcement, and imposing harsher penalties for dangerous driving.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall confirmed that the government has already signalled the need for sweeping changes to road traffic laws. Speaking on his weekly programme, Issues in the News, the AG said the rising number of fatal accidents, reckless driving, and misuse of public roadways have become urgent matters of public safety.
“These are matters that we will continuously monitor very closely and make reforms when we think it is in the public interest to do so,” Nandlall stated.
Expanded E-Ticketing and Stricter Penalties
The Attorney General revealed that the Government will be reviewing regulations governing motor vehicle driver’s licences—especially across different vehicle classes—and is preparing to add more violations to the list of ticketable offenses.
“You will get e-tickets for a larger number of offenses and, of course, harsher penalties will be imposed for speeding, among other legislative reforms,” he explained.
Between 2020 and 2024, Guyana recorded 642 road deaths, including 24 children—a number the World Bank has labeled “unacceptably high.”
Tint Regulations Under Review
Following public backlash over the recently introduced $75,000 fine for illegal tinting—especially when compared to the current $7,500 penalty for speeding, one of the main contributors to road deaths—the Government says it intends to bring consistency and fairness to tint regulations.
“So all vehicles will enjoy a 35 percent light penetration,” Nandlall announced.
He further noted that a special waiver system will apply to specific categories of vehicles, including high-security officials, diplomats, and other approved persons.
“This category of persons will qualify for a darker level of tint,” the AG said.
A Comprehensive National Road Safety Overhaul
The reforms, once implemented, are expected to modernize Guyana’s traffic regulatory framework, improve enforcement capabilities, and curb dangerous driving—longstanding issues that have contributed to hundreds of deaths on the country’s roadways.
The administration says it is committed to ensuring that updated laws, more straightforward guidelines, and fairer penalties form part of a broader road-safety strategy for 2026 and beyond.
