The death toll on Guyana’s roadway continues to climb following the death of a pedal cyclist along the Hydronie Public Road, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).
Forty-five-year-old Lloyd Garraway, of Lot 1801 Parika, EBE, succumbed to his injuries at the Leonora Cottage Hospital following an accident in the wee hours of Tuesday.
According to reports, Garraway was attempting to cross the roadway when he was struck down by an alleged speeding driver at about 02:40h on Monday.
The vehicle, PAD 3432, was at the time being driven by a 21-year-old resident of Peter Street, Parika, EBE. He is currently assisting with the investigation.
Police preliminary reports stated that the speeding motor car collided with Garraway as he was crossing the Hydronie Public Road. As a result of the impact, he sustained bodily injures, resulting in him becoming unconscious.
Dead: Lloyd Garraway
He was picked up and transported to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where medical professionals made every effort to save his life but he tragically took his last breath at about 09:50h on Tuesday.
A breathalyser test was administered on the driver but there were no traces of alcohol in his system. He is expected to be charged shortly.
As of the end of April, the Police had reported that 50 persons would have lost their lives on Guyana’s roadway. Of the 50 fatalities, 19 were caused by fatal traffic incidents and the remaining 31 were due to accidents.
Back in March, the Police Traffic Department reported a 100% increase in road fatalities when compared to the same period in 2022.
With the aim of getting a hold of the situation, the Home Affairs Ministry has been collaborating with stakeholders to develop a comprehensive action plan to reduce road accidents and fatalities by 50 per cent by 2030.
The National Assembly passed the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill in 2022, which aims to promote and enforce safe driving and impose higher penalties for serious infractions.
The Government is also upgrading roads and highways and installing lights and CCTV cameras at strategic points to improve infrastructure and safety.
Augmenting these efforts, the Traffic Department is intensifying efforts to prevent speeding and urges drivers to exercise caution on the roads, follow traffic laws and regulations, and maintain their vehicles regularly. Safe driving practices such as wearing seatbelts and avoiding distracted driving are emphasised.
