With the festive season being in full swing, head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Gary McKenzie is cautioning motorists against the illegal use of coloured lights on their motor vehicles.

According to McKenzie the Road Traffic Regulations of 2022 restricts the use of these lights to law enforcement and emergency service vehicles.

“The use of blue lights [is] restricted to police vehicles; the use of red lights, flashing lights, that is, those are restricted to ambulances and the fire service. Large units, such as tow trucks and large truck trailers, may use amber lights to announce their position and approach on the roadways. It is not for these lights to be used randomly,” he explained.

He further stressed that headlights on all vehicles must be properly angled, warning that motorists who use very bright lights that are incorrectly positioned pose a threat to other road users.

“In other words, the left headlight is to be shining straight and the right headlight is to be [similarly] shining… and both lights are to be [angled] slightly downwards. If you shine lights directly at people and at other motorists, then you are blinding them and the potential for a crash exists,” McKenzie said.

He further noted that no other light on a vehicle should outshine its headlights, adding that auxillary lights or reflectors should also be set at a lower ampere.