Cops unite to tackle speeding on roadways in Region 5

Police officers in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), who witness people being killed and seriously injured every day on their roads, are joining forces to highlight the human cost of excessive speed.
The campaign is taking place during the time when the Guyana Police Force is observing road safety month, which is observed annually in November and aims to spread awareness about causes and measures to prevent road accidents.

Traffic Officer, Inspector Lloyd Thomas on an episode of “Police and You”, said that speed is a key risk factor in road traffic injuries, influencing both the risk of a road crash as well as the severity of the injuries that result from crashes in the region.
He said that after conducting an evaluation, ranks in the region found that most of the fatal accidents that occur are caused by drivers who are not from the district.
“…majority are people who are from out of the region, like Georgetown, going towards East Berbice. Drivers of Georgetown are not really au fait with the road…and, a contributing factor is the speeding,” he said.
As such, he advised drivers that usually speed while on the roadways to desist, to avoid injuries and fatalities.
“If you know that you want to [be] on time, then you have to leave early,” he warned.
Last year in November, the Region Five Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Kurleigh Simon, announced that speeding was a challenge they were battling, and they were trying to curb these activities.
The Commander had also warned that drivers should adhere to the speed limits on the roadways in order to avoid accidents.
“The West Coast Berbice road is a very technical road to drive, and if you don’t know it, then you shouldn’t be speeding. You should try as much as possible to comply (with) the speed limit of the road…there are certain parts of the road where the speed limit is 55km per hour…if you are gonna drive within the prescribed speed limit, it gives you ample thinking time, braking time…,” he said.
The Commander had further underscored that because a major activity in the region is cattle rearing, there would be animals on the road, which can cause accidents. He said if drivers adhere to the traffic laws, there would be a reduction in road accidents. (G9)