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Basseterre, St. Kitts, January 23, 2018 (SKNIS): Individuals in possession of a temporary driver’s license will now be required to produce photo identification along with their temporary driver’s license to traffic police. The Honourable Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, aired his concerns about the misuse of temporary driver’s licenses while speaking in support of the Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2018, at the sitting of National Assembly on January 23.

“The truth is that if the police were to stop someone driving and all they had was a temporary driver’s license, even the production of that could not provide the necessary evidence as to their identity,” said premier Brantley, while noting that the Traffic Department has come forward with some issues of persons misusing temporary driver’s licenses.  

The minister noted that currently motorists are given a 48 hour grace period to produce a valid driver’s license if pulled over and are unable to produce such. He explained that this has caused some issues for the Traffic Department when persons have failed to produce the required information in the stated time. He further noted that there have been some misuse of issued temporary driver’s licenses where multiple persons have used the same license because there is no photo identification attached.

He said that the proposed amendments will help to rectify issues of non-compliance with motorists producing their identification on the spot rather than being allotted the 48 hour grace period. Additionally, motorists will be required to produce their temporary driver’s license as well as the driver’s license obtained from their home country if pulled over by the traffic police.

A driver can produce a valid photo ID from his/her country with the temporary driver’s license if he/she does not have their original driver’s license on hand.  

Minister Brantley noted that citizens of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), under the arrangement for the free movement of people, can use the driver’s licenses obtained in their home countries in the federation without applying for a temporary license.

“If you have license in any of the OECS countries, one can come here and drive on that license,” he stated.

Drivers are advised to have their valid identifications and all necessary documents on hand while driving a motor vehicle.