The latest appeal by President Dr Irfaan Ali serves as a sobering reminder of the urgent need for all road users, particularly motorcyclists, to adopt a culture of caution and responsibility on Guyana’s roadways. The president’s revelation that 43 percent of road deaths in 2025 involve motorcyclists, and more alarmingly, that 72 percent of these riders were not wearing helmets, should prompt immediate national introspection and action.
These figures represent a tragic narrative of lives lost, families shattered, and a nation grappling with a crisis that is largely preventable. The consistent rise in motorcycle-related deaths highlights a dangerous mix of recklessness, non-compliance with safety regulations, and a worrying disregard for the protective gear that saves lives. Helmets are not optional accessories; they are essential, life-preserving tools. Their consistent absence in so many fatal incidents points to a wider societal failure in road safety education, enforcement, and cultural change.
President Ali’s call for vigilance comes against a backdrop of progress. Official statistics from the Guyana Police Force show a 30 percent reduction in road fatalities in 2024, dropping from 145 in 2023 to 102. This decline, following a surge in 2023 driven largely by reckless driving among individuals aged 25 to 42, is encouraging. Fatalities among men dropped by 25 percent, and deaths in the high-risk 25–42 age group fell by nearly half. However, these gains are being undermined by persistent high-risk behaviours among motorcyclists.
It is clear that despite improvements, significant vulnerabilities remain. Motorcyclists continue to be the most-at-risk group on the road, and the absence of helmet use in a majority of fatalities suggests that many riders are still failing to grasp the basic tenets of road safety. The issue extends beyond the roads and into the culture — a mindset shift must be cultivated, where safety becomes the default, and not the exception.
Further compounding the problem is a dangerous new trend fuelled by social media. According to Traffic Chief Assistant Commissioner Mahendra Singh, individuals have begun sprinting in front of roadside speed radar signs in an attempt to test their running speed. What may appear humorous or thrilling in a short online video poses a severe risk of injury or death, especially when conducted at night or in high-traffic areas. This reckless behaviour exemplifies the increasing influence of social media on risky decision-making, and underlines the need for greater public awareness and digital literacy campaigns targeting youths.
In a more encouraging development, the recent launch of the e-ticketing system under the Safe Road Intelligent System (SRIS) Project represents a critical turning point. Within just 12 hours of implementation, 259 speeding violations, 29 seatbelt breaches, and one case of handheld mobile use were recorded. Today, that figure has dropped to an average of 98 violations per day.
Importantly, as President Ali noted, these systems are not meant to punish, but to protect. Technology is now a frontline tool in the broader mission to save lives and create a safer Guyana. The decision to expand the e-ticketing system into Region Three is both timely and necessary.
However, technology alone cannot shoulder the burden. Enforcement must be met with education, and penalties must be coupled with prevention. Every citizen must be made aware that road safety is a shared responsibility. Riders must wear helmets. Drivers must slow down. Pedestrians must remain alert. And every parent, teacher, community leader, and policymaker must reinforce these truths relentlessly.
The country cannot afford to lose more lives to preventable causes. With the right mix of enforcement, education, and personal responsibility, Guyana can build on the gains in 2024 and move towards a future where tragedies on the road become rare exceptions rather than daily headlines.
The statistics are a mirror, and the reflection demands urgent action.
