After spate of traffic offences, a stark message from police to drivers: ‘Take a long, hard look at yourselves’

The Royal Gibraltar Police announced a new taskforce on Wednesday following an “alarming” spate of traffic offences this year, and had this stark message for drivers: “Gibraltar’s motorists need to take a long, hard look at themselves.”
Over 630 traffic offences were reported in the first three months of 2021, including over 150
speeding offences.
In a statement, the RGP said the last few weeks have seen a spate of road traffic accidents on
Gibraltar’s roads, mainly caused by a mixture of excessive speed, dangerous driving and a lack of consideration for other road users.
In January, during the Covid-19 lockdown, there were much fewer offences as people stayed
indoors, with offences totalling at 114.
Offences included drink/drug driving, dangerous driving, speeding, not wearing a seat belt, using a mobile phone, and contravening traffic signs and traffic lights.
As restrictions eased in February, however, the total number of offences more than doubled to 263.
With another week still left of March, the number of offences so far totals 261.
“These figures are even more alarming when we consider that, for much of January,
Gibraltar was in lockdown and, for the whole of January, February and March, there was a night-
time curfew,” the RGP said.
“Whilst the RGP will take every opportunity to enforce traffic laws, Gibraltar’s motorists need to take a long, hard look at themselves – do they ever exceed any speed limits?”
“Do they ever drive when they have been drinking? Do they ever use their phone whilst driving?”
The RGP said it is launching a new taskforce, as a consequence of recent accidents.
The taskforce will consist of Traffic officers, Neighbourhood Police and Shift officers, and will be deployed several times a week, in addition to the officers on Operation Drive Safe.
“Although we have created this new taskforce, it is impossible to have police officers on every road, 24 hours a day,” Commissioner of Police, Richard Ullger said.
“However, whilst our officers will always use discretion and take a zero-tolerance
approach to enforcing the traffic laws against bad and inconsiderate driving, it is also
a matter of educating our drivers and making them more responsible for their actions.”
“The penalty for bad driving should not be measured in the number of fines and driving bans.”
“It should also be measured in the number of injuries and even deaths on our roads.”