Pensioner dies in accident near Harbour Bridge

An accident claimed the life of 78-year-old Sheik Hassan early Monday morning. The incident occurred around 06:19h on the western carriageway of the Peters Hall public road, near the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
The accident involved motor lorry, GAC 6742, driven by a 32-year-old of Annandale, East Coast Demerara (ECD). According to the police, the lorry was traveling north along the Peters Hall Road when the pedestrian attempted to cross from west to east in front of the moving vehicle.
At the time of the incident, police ranks were directing traffic in the area, allowing northbound vehicles to proceed. Despite this, Hassan reportedly stepped onto the roadway and into the path of the lorry. The vehicle’s front collided with him, causing him to fall onto the road. Tragically, the lorry rolled over the pedestrian, crushing his head.
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) from the Ambulance Service, were called to the scene and pronounced Hassan dead at the scene.
Police have since said that the driver of the lorry is in custody assisting with the investigation.
Only last week, President Dr Irfaan Ali announced a series of sweeping measures for errant road users including the suspension of drivers’ licences after three speeding tickets, especially for truck drivers and additional body cameras for traffic ranks, among others.
Meanwhile, on Sunday in its missive, the Private Sector Commission said it recognises that the recklessness and dangerous driving are caused by individually licensed drivers, combined with a lack of adequate enforcement and accountability. On this note, the Commission urged all stakeholders to take immediate action to address this dire situation and proposes a number of recommendations for urgent implementation.
Following president’s stern warnings last week, the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Traffic Department has embarked on an aggressive enforcement exercise.