Senators discuss traffic fatalities, enforcement

The Virgin Islands recorded a staggering 13 traffic fatalities in 2023, as well as eight road-related deaths so far this year, and senators who met Wednesday in the Committee on Homeland Security, Justice, and Public Safety urged police to step up enforcement and curb bad driving behavior before more deaths occur.

Daphne O’Neal, director of Highway Safety for the V.I. Police Department, provided the figures on traffic fatalities in response to questions from Senate President Novelle Francis Jr., a former V.I. Police commissioner. “When I asked that, I didn’t expect that kind of number, I’ll be honest with you,” Francis said. The figures are “heart-wrenching,” and “clearly I believe this conversation is ripe for us to have,” he said.

O’Neal was unable to provide data in response to other questions about the number of speeding tickets and citations issued, as well as crashes reported in recent years, but said she could find it and provide it at a later time. “This is very important for us to have those numbers,” Francis said. The discussion came during consideration of Bill No. 35-0417, proposed by Sen. Kenneth Gittens, who is also a former V.I. Police officer.