By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE Grand Bahama’s fatal traffic accidents in recent weeks, many motorists are still ignoring the speed limits on the island’s major thoroughfares.

A series of traffic speed checks were conducted on four main roads yesterday, which resulted in 61 motorists being ticketed for violating the speed limit.

Superintendent of Police Terecita Pinder reported that officers of the Traffic Division, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Ashton Greenslade, conducted speed checks between 7am and 10am.

The areas included East Sunrise Highway, Coral Road, Grand Bahama Highway and Settlers Way.

Supt Pinder said at the end of the operation, 61 fixed penalty notices were issued to motorists who were found speeding.

“Motorists were all strongly warned of the importance of adhering to the speed limit,” Supt Pinder said.

Three people in Grand Bahama lost their lives in December as a result of speeding. On December 12, a young man died following a traffic accident at East Sunrise Highway. Four days later, an 11-year-old girl was killed when a vehicle went off the road and overturned on Grand Bahama Highway in the vicinity of the University of the Bahamas.

On Boxing Day, another male driver died after crashing into a concrete column on Cathedral Boulevard in the area of Sir Jack Hayward Junior High. Officers of the Fire Department were called in and were able to put out the fire and used the Jaws of Life to remove the man from the car.

Superintendent of Police Jeremy Henfield, the officer in charge of the Traffic Division, has indicated that too many lives have been lost on the streets of Grand Bahama last year and is appealing to motorists to slow down.

“We lost far too many lives on our streets for this year alone,” he said in December. “Our fatality count is in the double digits.”