– as road fatalities continue
In the wake of a number of horrific accidents which have claimed the lives of road users, the National Road Safety Council will be re-launching its ‘White Night’ campaign at several locations.
On Monday, the Council released a list of locations where the road blocks would be implemented. The campaign will run from June to December in all the Police divisions.
In Division A (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara), the road block will be located at Vlissingen Road and Main Street. In B Division (Berbice), the campaign will set-up shop at Bushlot, West Coast Berbice, Albion, Rose Hall and Springlands.
In C Division (East Coast Demerara), the road blocks will be located at Sparendaam and Ogle, while in D Division (West Bank Demerara-East Bank Essequibo), the locations are Vreed En Hoop and Leonora.
In E Division (Linden-Kwakwani), the location for the road block is McKenzie, while in F Division (Interior location) the location is 1st and 2nd Avenue, Bartica. In G Division (Essequibo Coast-Islands), road blocks will be placed in Anna Regina.
The campaigns will run simultaneously on the following dates: June 2 and 30; July 28; August 12; September 1 and 30; October 27; November 4, 17 and 24; and on December 15.
In a recent interview, coordinator of the Road Safety Council, Ramona Doorgen had promised that the campaign would be advertised beforehand. She stated that contact numbers, the locations of the campaign’s principal points and road blocks, would be released by Monday, May 29.
According to Doorgen, one aim of the campaign is to reduce the number of persons drinking and driving on the roadway. It will also serve to reinforce road safety on motorists.
Meanwhile, however, it was emphasised by the coordinator that passengers have their lives in their hands and must therefore contribute to preventing the reckless use of the road.
Doorgen stressed that passengers within reckless minibuses have a responsibility to request that drivers slow down. Doorgen emphasised that drivers have a responsibility to look out for pedestrians and vice versa.
The coordinator also called for a return of road conscious motorists, who adhere to the five Cs – care, caution, courtesy, consideration and common sense.
During last year’s White Night campaign, Police ranks administered random breathalyser tests on drivers while road council members and other stakeholders distributed magazines, pamphlets and spoke to drivers on the dangers of the roadways.
When it was implemented last year, in observance of national road safety month, there were road blocks at strategic points.
Recently, the Police Traffic Department said it recorded a 26 per cent decline in fatal accidents for the period beginning January 1, 2017 to May 15, 2017. Thirty-six fatal accidents and 40 deaths were recorded, compared to 50 fatal accidents and 54 deaths over the same period last year.
There was also a 39 per cent decrease in overall accidents for the same period, as 398 accidents have been recorded, as opposed to 651 the previous year.
It is understood that private cars accounted for most of the vehicles involved in accidents, standing at 12, while there were four pedal cycles, three minibuses, four lorries, four hire cars, one pickup and four motorcycles.
The Guyana Police Force said speeding remains the major cause of accidents, accounting for 14 accidents in the first quarter of the year. Other causes were inattentiveness, driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to confirm to road traffic signs, and pedestrians crossing in the path of an approaching vehicle.
Operation Safeway received some credit for this success. Through this operation, traffic ranks have been on the roads conducting rigid exercises throughout the country, but more particularly in Georgetown, and on the East Bank and East Coast of Demerara.
It was only days ago that in a particularly horrendous accident, 67-year-old Daniel Richmond lost his life. Richmond, a well-known umpire and cricket coach attached to the Sport Department of the Education Ministry, was reportedly returning home after attending church when the minibus in which he was travelling was struck from behind by a Toyota Tundra pickup.
Upon impact, the Route 41 minibus toppled several times before coming to a halt. The father of 10, who was unidentified at the time, died on the spot while several others were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they were admitted.
On Monday, another life was lost to the roadways. This time it occurred at the corner of Middle and Camp Streets, when a female driver is alleged to have jumped a red light and struck a 45-year-old businessman, killing him.
