– nabbed during White Night campaign in Region 2
Thirteen drivers from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) will be placed before the court today for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) as they were nabbed during the White Night campaign in G Division (Essequibo Coast-Islands) last Friday.
Among the 13 is a police officer and according to the Deputy Commander for the Division, he will be dealt with accordingly.
The 13 vehicles were impounded for violating road regulations, being equipped with white lights, ornaments and window and headlight tints.
Ranks from the Division joined in the nationwide campaign last Friday. The exercise commenced around 18:30h and lasted approximately six and a half hours. During the exercise, several vehicles were stopped and searched at road blocks.
According to head of the regional Traffic Department, Alfred Parks, the focus of the exercise is to promote traffic education as well as to make the roads safer: “Drivers need to know their responsibilities on the road and road safety; this campaign is a way of sensitising.” The campaign also focused on those drivers who are using the high-definition lights.
Sergeant Parks said there have been numerous complaints from drivers who have experienced temporary blindness as a result of white lights.
The White Night campaign commenced early in 2017 in Region Two, and several drivers were charged. Some drivers’ licences were even revoked by the Magistrate for driving continuously under the influence.
The Region Two traffic head, however, said the idea evolved to have the campaign in an effort to ensure that drivers adopt a new attitude towards driving, particularly in areas of drinking and safe usage of the road.
“It is not a new initiative; the initiative started some time ago and has been successful in other regions. Since there has been an increase in road accidents here on the Essequibo Coast, we believe that we should join the initiative in an effort to educate drivers out there on the importance of road safety,” Parks said.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was also on the scene to assist in the exercise. The CID conducted searches on vehicles if suspicions were roused that something unlawful was being transported. Breathalyser tests were also conducted.
The Deputy Commander of the Division, M Taylor said lack of knowledge on proper road usage was a contributing factor to accidents apart from speeding. To curb this, pamphlets were distributed. Taylor said that once drivers were educated, they would use the road with more care and caution hence reducing road fatalities.
