11.2 Insurance, Documents and Traffic Offences
Key Takeaways
No one may use a motor vehicle on a public road without third-party insurance; the penalty is a fine of BBD $1,000 or 6 months, with 12 months' disqualification unless the court orders otherwise (s.37).
Third-party insurance covers your liability to other people; it does not pay for damage to your own vehicle.
Produce your certificate of insurance and your licence (or a government ID) when asked; if you do not have them with you, you have 24 hours to produce them at the station named (ss.42 and 74).
Careless driving carries up to BBD $500 or 6 months and possible 12-month disqualification; dangerous driving carries up to BBD $1,000 or 12 months for a first conviction (ss.82 and 83).
If litter is thrown from a vehicle and nobody can tell who threw it, the driver is deemed to have thrown it (s.86A).
Driving legally means having the right insurance and documents and avoiding the main driving offences. This section collects the rules most often tested.
Compulsory third-party insurance (s.37)
- No person shall use, or cause or permit any other person to use, a motor vehicle on a public road unless a policy of insurance or security against third-party risks is in force (s.37(1)).
- Penalty: a fine of BBD $1,000 or 6 months' imprisonment, or both, and, unless the court orders otherwise for special reason, disqualification for 12 months (s.37(2)).
- A non-owner has a defence if they did not know, and had no reason to believe, that the vehicle was uninsured (s.37(2A)).
What third-party cover does and does not pay for
| Covered by third-party insurance | Not covered |
|---|---|
| Your legal liability for death or injury to other people, including passengers | Damage to your own vehicle |
| Your liability for damage to other people's property, such as their car | Your own injuries, unless your policy adds that cover |
Barbados test papers ask what third-party insurance does not cover. The answer is your own car. "Comprehensive" policies add cover for your own vehicle.
Documents and production
- Certificate of insurance (s.42). On request by a police officer, give your name and address and the owner's name and address, and produce your certificate of insurance. If you do not have it with you, produce it at the police station the officer or transport inspector names within 24 hours (s.42(2), as amended in 2017).
- Licence or ID (s.74). Carry your licence or a government-issued ID. If you show only the ID, produce the licence within 24 hours at the station named (see 1.3).
- Registration. Vehicles must be registered with the Licensing Authority. The Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2018-31 provides for registration fees in place of the old road tax.
The main driving offences
| Offence | Section | Maximum penalty (as consolidated) |
|---|---|---|
| Causing death by reckless or dangerous driving | 81 | 10 years' imprisonment |
| Reckless or dangerous driving | 82 | First conviction: BBD $1,000 or 12 months; later: BBD $2,500 or 2 years; disqualification unless the court orders otherwise; endorsement |
| Driving without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration | 83 | BBD $500 or 6 months; may be disqualified for 12 months |
| Exceeding the speed limit | 84 | BBD $1,000 or 12 months |
| Drink or drug driving, or over the prescribed limit | 85 | See 9.1 |
| Taking a vehicle without the owner's consent | 87 | On indictment: BBD $2,500 or 12 months |
| Interfering with a motor vehicle without permission | 88 | BBD $100 or 1 month |
| Driving while disqualified | 99 | Fine and imprisonment |
Dangerous driving means driving recklessly, or at a speed or in a manner dangerous to the public, having regard to the road, its condition and use, and the traffic that is, or might reasonably be expected to be, on it. Careless driving is falling below the standard of care and attention, or of consideration for others, expected of a reasonable driver.
Notice of intended prosecution (s.86)
For careless driving (s.83) and speeding (s.84), you generally cannot be convicted unless you were warned at the time, or were served with a summons or a notice of intended prosecution within 14 days. There are exceptions if your name and address could not be found in time or you caused the delay.
Other offences worth knowing
- Littering (s.86A). No person travelling in a motor vehicle may throw litter from it onto a road. If it cannot be determined who threw it, the driver is deemed to have done so.
- Stunts and illegal speed trials (regs. 89A and 89B, 2017). Organising, taking part in, attending or gathering at an unauthorised speed trial, or performing a stunt (including wheelies, deliberate wheelspin, driving side by side on the wrong side, and driving from outside the driver's seat), carries a fine of BBD $500 or 3 months.
- Excess passengers, going off route and soliciting passengers are offences for public service vehicles, with demerit points.
Fixed penalties and reform
Many minor offences can be settled by paying a fixed penalty under s.121 instead of going to court. The Act sets BBD $75 for exceeding a speed limit by up to 20 km/h (s.121(10B)). In January 2026 the Government brought a Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill to overhaul the fixed-penalty regime and prepare reforms to the demerit points system. New amounts are to be set later, so check current figures with the BLA or police.
What does third-party motor insurance not cover?
Injuries to other road users
Injuries to your passengers
Damage to another person's car
Damage to your own car
You cannot produce your certificate of insurance when a police officer asks for it. What does s.42(2), as amended in 2017, require?
Produce it at the police station named within 24 hours
Produce it at any police station within 7 days
Post a copy to the Licensing Authority within 5 days
Nothing, if the insurer confirms cover by telephone
Litter is thrown from a car onto the road, and police cannot tell which occupant threw it. Who does s.86A treat as responsible?
No one, because the thrower cannot be identified
The driver of the car
The front-seat passenger
The registered owner, even if absent
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.