As “Operation Safeway” enters its second week, police in B Division, in Region 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne) have been boosted to ensure the latest strategy to make the roads safer is a success.
“Operation Safeway was launched on September 16, and since that time, there has been a notable decrease in all categories of road accidents,” the police said in a release.
Radar guns, breathalyser kits and other traffic enforcement gear that will assist in nabbing drunk drivers and others who break the traffic laws in BerbicePolice in B Division intensify their vigilance under “Operation Safeway”
Meanwhile, in Berbice the traffic division received several radar guns and breathalyser kits, among other gear that will help to curb fatal accidents on the road.
Officer-in-charge of Traffic Superintendent Budnarine Persuad said the division received six radar guns and four breathalyser kits among other traffic gear to help nab drunk drivers and those who break the speed limit. He reminded that Operation Safeway was introduced to curb rising road fatality.
In the country between January 1 and September 14, 2016, a total of 89 fatal accidents were recorded. This is compared to 67 for the corresponding period last year. So far there have been 96 deaths recorded, compared with 81 for the same period last year.
During 2012, the police recorded 102 fatal accidents resulting in 110 deaths and in 2013, 103 fatal accidents which resulted in 112 deaths.
During 2014, a total of 135 fatal accidents were recorded which resulted in 146 deaths, 20 more than recorded the previous year.
In Berbice, between January 1 and September 23, 2016, there have been 12 fatal accidents which resulted in 13 deaths as against 14 fatal accidents resulting in 19 deaths for the same period in 2015.
For 2015, there were 22 fatal accidents that resulted in the deaths of 30 persons of whom four were children.
According to Superintendent Persaud, most of the fatal accidents in Berbice occurred on the Upper Corentyne area. He however pointed out that the new equipment will help to reduce the carnage on the road since most of the fatal accidents involved drivers under the influence of alcohol and those driving above the speed limit.
Given the high rate of accidents, ranks in Berbice will be intensifying their daily routines to prevent speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, overloading of vehicles, riding without helmet and other offences that contribute to accidents.
The Superintendent pointed to a shortage of human resources in the division; however he noted that ranks are working 12-hour shifts.
Heading Subdivision One (East Bank Berbice/East Canje/East Coast Berbice) is Inspector Gladwin Joaquin while Subdivision Two (Lower and Upper) is headed by Inspector Clay Rose and Subdivision Three (West Coast Berbice) is headed by Sergeant Audie Beckles.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the three Inspectors said they would step up efforts to address any traffic offence in their subdivisions.
So far this year in Subdivision One there has been no accident recorded while in Subdivision Two there were seven and five in Subdivision Three.
Meanwhile, so far this year in Berbice 6961 persons were charged for speeding. This figure compares with 5480 for the corresponding period last year.
To date, 438 persons were caught driving under the influence of alcohol while for the same period last year the figure stood at 250.
Those caught riding without helmets are 110 compared with 107 for the corresponding period last year.
Those charged for various traffic offences so far amount to 12,652. For 2015 the traffic department in Berbice charged 14,617 persons for various offences.
