Drivers must carry physical licence or risk being ticketed – Police warn

Drivers who operate motor vehicles without having their physical driver’s licence in their possession risk being ticketed, traffic ranks have warned.

The caution was issued during the ‘Road Safety and You’ programme hosted by the Chairman of the Guyana National Road Safety Council, Earl Lambert, who was joined by members of the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department.

During the programme, officers explained that while some drivers attempt to show a copy of their licence stored on their mobile phones, the law requires motorists to produce the physical document when requested by a police officer.

Inspector Naresh Khanoo, who is stationed at Regional Division Three (Essequibo Island – West Demerara) and serves as inspector in charge of traffic, explained that drivers must have their licence with them at all times when operating a vehicle.

“This offense is also a ticketed offense. If you’re driving your motor vehicle at all times, you must have your driver’s license on you so that when you’re being stopped by a policeman or a policewoman in uniform, and you’re being asked to produce that document, you must produce it,” the officer stated.

He noted that although some motorists attempt to rely on digital images of their licences, that method is not legally acceptable.

“We’re having some persons now who would want to produce the driver’s license on the phone since COVID. It’s not applicable,” the officer said.

However, he explained that in certain situations, officers may exercise discretion if they previously verified that a driver had a valid licence.

“It’s about flexibility, meaning that if I would have stopped you prior to that date when you produce a driver’s license on your phone and I’m aware that you have a driver’s license and it’s in force, shortly after let’s say a week after I would have stopped you and you don’t have it then I could verify that I would have stopped you prior to this and you would have produced that document to me and I am fully aware that this is in force.”

He added, however, that such flexibility should not be relied upon by drivers.

“Producing that document on the phone, it’s not applicable. It’s just a form of flexibility,” he said.

The offence of driving a motor vehicle without a driver’s licence, as well as failing to produce a driver’s licence when required by a police officer, are both ticketable offences under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act.

Traffic ranks also reminded motorists that licences must be produced when requested by an officer in uniform so that details such as the driver’s name, address, class of licence, and expiry date can be examined.

Lambert urged motorists to comply with the law and cooperate with traffic ranks when stopped on the roadway.

“There are some people… they’re so confrontational when stopped by traffic ranks, and they want to argue, and then when they get the ticket, they feel offended. Communication… is very important,” he said.

Lambert explained that when drivers communicate respectfully with officers, the ranks may exercise discretion depending on the circumstances of the offence.