Guyana records over 171 road deaths so far for 2023

Some 171 persons have lost their lives on the country’s roadways between January 1 and October 8.  This was revealed in a recent report by the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
Of this number, 138 persons died from fatal accidents, otherwise known as vehicle-vehicle collisions or collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists.
Meanwhile, 33 persons died from fatal incidents, in which collisions with stationary objects, such as poles and trenches, were involved.
Further, 116 persons were injured during these fatal accidents while 32 from the fatal incidents.
In a continuation of its efforts to maintain safe roadways and ensure those who fail to comply with the traffic laws are penalised accordingly, the GPF issued 2443 traffic tickets last month to road users who exceeded the speed limit.
Each ticket carries a fine of $7500, thereby resulting in more than $18 million in fines being issued for the month of September alone.
According to the Force’s statement, Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh noted that the equipment and speed guns in use are calibrated and administered by competently trained Traffic ranks.
Just Monday, the Traffic Department recorded 362 cases, of which 70 were for speeding and three were related to driving under the influence (DUI).
This is an increase from Sunday, which saw 280 cases, of which 50 were for speeding violations and nine drivers were apprehended for DUI.
The Force maintains its call to road users for safer road practices, noting in their press release that “speeding is not the answer, and driving under the influence is not an option.”
Also, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, has signalled that the Government is reviewing its existing laws and considering drastic measures, in order to rein in reckless road users who break the laws, whether through speeding, playing loud music among other offences.
During the recent edition of Issues in the News, Attorney General Anil Nandlall spoke of the high instances of accidents in Guyana. He pointed out that per capita, Guyana has an unusually high number of accidents that likely exceeds other countries in the hemisphere.
“The open carelessness which takes place on the roadways of our country, resulting in injuries and deaths over and above what we can afford as a country. We’re still a very small population. And we must have, statistically, per capita, the highest incidence of road accidents and road fatalities.”
He explained that the measures being looked at are a work in progress, including the possibility of mandating increased insurance coverage. While this may result in increased premiums and increased fares, the lack of coverage is a sore issue for many drivers who are forced to fix their own vehicles out of pocket.
In a desperate move to reduce this rise in road fatalities and reckless road use, the GPF had launched its “Respect the Road” campaign in July.
Designed to engage citizens of all ages and backgrounds throughout the country, the Force continues to implement this holistic education campaign through a series of branded road safety materials, social media engagement, outreaches and workshops. (G13)