Mandela to Eccles Highway: Over 1000 persons prosecuted for traffic offences caught by traffic cams

For 2023, so far, over 1000 road users have been captured on speed cameras situated on the Mandela to Eccles four-lane highway, and prosecuted for committing traffic offences, including speeding and failing to wear their seatbelts.
Traffic Chief, Superintendent Dennis Stephen made this disclosure on Friday during an interview with Guyana Times.

These speed cameras were positioned along the highway last year, aimed towards automatically photographing vehicles going above the speed limits. These vary along the roadway at 30 kmph, 50 kmph, and 80 kmph.
Since their placement, road users breaking a number of traffic laws, have been recorded.
“So far, we have prosecuted over 1000 persons and we continue to prosecute persons who commit those offences in that environment, as it relates to speeding and persons who fail to wear seatbelts. This exercise is ongoing and we also look at all our cameras around Georgetown under the smart city,” Stephen said.

Warrant drive
For persons who fail to adhere to the court stipulations following their breach of traffic laws, Stephen explained that they are issued arrest warrants to ensure their compliance.
“We are currently on a warrant drive for persons who fail to pay their tickets. The warrant drive is a part of our Respect the Road campaign…so we’re able to execute those warrants to ensure that persons pay the ticket. We are also able to arrest [persons] and ensure that they appear in court [if need be],” Stephen said.
This Respect the Road campaign is a recent initiative being rolled out by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), in collaboration with the National Road Safety Council, and Impressions Inc.
While the arrest warrant drive forms part of the enforcement arm of this campaign, the other component involves engaging commuters in a public awareness and education campaign. “So far we have done several bumper stickers across the country and distributed flyers educating road users on how to use the road,” Stephen said.

Fatal accidents
The campaign is one of several measures being taken by traffic ranks to ensure road safety, given the rise of traffic incidents this year.  The Traffic Chief noted that 93 deaths have emerged from 80 road accidents for the year so far, of which 29 are motorcyclists and 8 are pillion riders. “Also looking at our statistics as it relates to persons who received serious injuries, motorcyclists, once again, would have been the most [vulnerable]. We recorded 191 serious accidents and 100 motorcyclists received serious injuries,” Stephen said. “Traditionally, pedestrians would’ve been the most vulnerable road users, who would’ve lost their lives. But for this year, we have a new phenomenon where we’ve observed motorcyclists, including pillion riders, being a [significant] part of that number of persons who lost their lives,” Stephen said. Last year, there were 62 road fatalities, of which 25 were pedestrians, 13 were motorcyclists and two were pillion riders. This year, 24 pedestrians have died in road accidents. To address this rising concern, Stephen explained that for the year so far, the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry donated some 300 helmets to be distributed among motorcyclists.
Meanwhile, with speeding being the leading cause of the fatal accidents for this year, at 64 of the 80 accidents, the Traffic Chief encouraged road users to manage their time and plan their journeys wisely.

Drunk driving
Stephen, however, noted that there has been a decrease in the number of fatal accidents related to drunk driving, with last year seeing four such instances and this year, so far, seeing one.
The recently introduced Intoxicating Liquor Licensing (Amendment) Act 2022 calls for liquor licence holders to play a more active role against drinking and driving, for one, by avoiding the sale of alcohol to inebriated persons who are likely to leave the premises by driving.
“The bar owners are cooperating with us because it’s important for them and also for us to save lives. So, they are working with us as it relates to having persons who are found under the influence of alcohol and rendered incapable of driving–they would call them a taxi to take them home [or] they’ll call the Police to assist in that aspect. (G13)