Police concerned about motorcycle accident scenes being tampered with

…as motorcyclists’ lawlessness, deaths continue

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has raised concerns over an alarming trend where motorcycles are removed from accident scenes before investigators arrive, potentially compromising critical evidence in traffic collisions.
Superintendent of Police, Raun Clarke, Traffic Officer for Regional Division 4A (Georgetown), speaking on a recent episode of “Road Safety and You”, highlighted the issue, stating, “We also find that when persons involved in accidents with motorcycles; the motorcycles are being removed from the scene of the accidents, which tampers with the accident scene and tamper with the accident investigation.”
Clarke noted that motorcyclists continue to pose a significant challenge on the country’s roads.

“Motorcyclists have continued to be challenging how they’re using the road,” he said. “Because they are using a smaller vehicle, they tend not to adhere to the rules governing the road. If there is a line of traffic, you would find that the motorcyclists would always overtake on either the right side or the left side continuously.”
While overtaking on the right is permitted, Clarke emphasised that overtaking on the left is illegal and dangerous. He also pointed out that while helmet use has increased, many motorcyclists still flout basic safety laws, including riding without licences or safety helmets.

“Most of the motorcyclists you find, that when you stop them, they are not driving with driver’s licences, which is already an offence,” Clarke added. “We are advocating safety. We are advocating that you ensure that you equip yourself with a driver’s licence, ensure that you traverse the road with a safety helmet, ensure that you drive on the road in accordance to law.”
The police have intensified enforcement efforts, targeting helmetless riders and those involved in dangerous driving. “Our enforcement posture we would have intensified,” Clark said. “Most persons traversing on the motorcycles were being arrested for failing to wear safety helmets, dangerous driving.”
Meanwhile, Assistant Superintendent Sherwin Henry, from the Traffic Headquarters’ Education Section, echoed these concerns, revealing that motorcyclists account for a high number of road fatalities.
“Motorcycles are the highest number of road users who lost their life on the roadway,” Henry said. “Last year we had only one pillion rider lose their life compared to this year—seven.”

Despite criticism on social media about traffic campaigns targeting motorcyclists, Superintendent Clarke made it clear that the police will continue to enforce the law. “We cannot please everybody. The police are there to protect and preserve life,” he said. “For those who are commenting negatively, it is just my opinion to say that the only way you would want to comment negatively is if you want to use the road in an unsafe way and you don’t want the police to do what they have to do to mitigate against you using the road in a safe way.”
The programme also touched on enforcement activities in other areas. Inspector Kevin Woodland from Region Three (Essequibo Island West Demerara) said that his ranks are on the roadway daily to curb reckless driving. “From six when our duty starts, we would be on the roadway to avoid these drivers from driving recklessly, dangerously, and carelessly,” he explained.
Sergeant Ronald Payne from Region Four B, East Bank Demerara (EBD) reported similar efforts along the busy Heroes Highway.
“We are doing our lectures to drivers, lectures to schools. We’re even going out to different locations and doing lectures. We are also doing distribution of flyers notifying the public about the speed limits and enlightening them about ticket offences.”
The police, through both enforcement and education, say they will continue their push to make the roadways safer for all users. “One accident is yet too many,” Superintendent Clark stressed.