At a ceremony held to observe World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on Sunday, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn said he is hoping to see the Road Safety Association (RSA) get a three- or four-fold increase in funds to help promote road safety.
The Minister said this should aid in the country’s efforts to reduce road carnage and accidents.
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn
Minister Benn made this comment shortly after it was announced that there has been a 29 per cent decrease in fatal accidents for the year 2021 compared to 2020. It was revealed that for the year 2021 there have been 81 fatal accidents with 88 deaths compared to 114 accidents in 2020 with 124 deaths.
Three children have died in 2021 thus far when compared to five in 2020.
Benn related that the Guyana Police Force is working to keep the number of deaths and accidents under 100 for this year, even with the many challenges they are faced with, especially with road users.
“We want to have this as the immediate target, but even while we say so, we have to recognise some of the issues which we have…. It is important that we know that even though we might have influence… we are accountable under the laws, that we should not unnecessarily intervene in issues which will bring the entire system tying out of our task to reduce the impacts of road deaths and road accidents….”, he said.
He said that even with a decrease in the number of fatal accidents for the year 2021, there has been an increase in the number of accidents countrywide.
“There has been an increase in the number of total serious accidents, but vicariously perhaps we have a reduction in the number of deaths. Those are things we have to look at, but the important thing is the question of behaviour, the question of not following the rules…”.
In addition, the Minister said that persons who are reckless on the roadways represent a serious risk to themselves and to the travelling public.
“…for some people they become a mere statistic. The age range where the majority of death occur is the young persons who have the most to give to our society and country…”.
He said the particular issue of drinking and driving is one they will have to do a review of in relation to the sanctions which should be put in place for reckless behaviours on the road ways.
“We have to do a complete review of the files; we have to continue to work with our Police and other administrators and also the Judiciary in respect of how we respond to these issues.”
Minister Benn further called for stricter penalties for persons who are not adhering to traffic laws to help curb cases of accidents, that may lead to fatalities.
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2021 puts the spotlight on the reduction of traffic speeds – low speeds, which have the potential to prevent many deaths and serious injuries, in particular those of pedestrians and all other vulnerable road users – children, elderly and the disabled.
