Jammeh Conta, police commissioner responsible for Mobile Traffic has underscored the importance of using seat belts while driving in the traffic.

He said that seat belts can save lives in case of accidents. Police Commissioner Conta made these remarks yesterday, during an interview with the Daily Observer at his office in Kanifing. According to him, since the Motor Traffic Act came into force, his office has done its best to ensure that the defaulters of this Act are taken to court. He revealed that many drivers were fined for either driving without seat belts or for talking on mobile phones whilst driving without headphones.

Commissioner Conta cited Section 51 A (1) of the Motor Traffic Act, which states that ‘a person shall not use or talk on a mobile phone when driving on a road, unless the mobile phone is a hands free phone set and is being used whilst both the person’s hands are on the steering wheel, and section 51B (1), which states that ‘a person shall not drive a motor vehicle on a road, unless the person is restrained by a seat belt’. “Subject to sub-section (3), a person driving a motor vehicle shall ensure that a passenger in the front seat of the motor or vehicle is restrained by a seat belt,” he said. He advised the drivers to obey the traffic rules and listen to police orders, in order to reduce the rate of accidents in the country.

Commissioner Conta also informed this paper that defaulters of the seat belt laws can face a fine of D1000-D1500, while defaulters of the mobile phone laws will face a fine of D2500-D6, 000. The mobile traffic commissioner thanked the general public for their cooperation and called on people to be law abiding.