Effective December 1, the Island Traffic Authority (ITA) will resume the test driving of vehicles during the inspection process at all ITA examination depots.  

In March 2020, the Authority had implemented the precautionary measure of not allowing inspectors to drive customers’ vehicles due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Kenute Hare, director of the ITA, said that with country returning to pre-pandemic operations, approval has been given for the critical procedure to be carried out at the depots, during the process for granting certificates of fitness.  

“This is fundamentally necessary as, it is only through test driving the motor vehicle that we are able to identify some critical issues that could possibly be a threat to Jamaica’s road and vehicular safety operations,” he said.  

Test driving vehicles allows inspectors to look for certain issues such as the effectiveness of the braking system, and to determine if vehicles continue in a straight line when the brakes are applied.