$200 traffic fine regime begins

Motorists and pedestrians risk being fined $200 or imprisonment for picking passengers or boarding vehicles at undesignated points. The penalties are under Statutory Instrument 41 of 2016 of the Road Traffic (Traffic Signs and Signals) Regulations gazetted in April.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba urged the public and motorists to respect the new regulations.

She said the public was discouraged from boarding pirate taxis or public service vehicles at undesignated points. She said the Statutory Instrument makes it an offence for one to fail to obey regulatory markings such as, "No hitch-hiking" signs.

She said the Statutory Instrument further provides that any person who removes, damages, obscures or interferes with any sign or the support thereof, shall be guilty of an offence.

She said anyone found guilty under the regulations shall be liable to a fine not exceeding Level 5 or to imprisonment not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.