Road rage, aggressive driving increasing – Traffic Chief

Guyana’s cops are scrambling to deal with road rage, a culture Guyanese have developed over the years, Traffic Chief Dennis Stephen has said.
Across the country, road rage altercations have become a problem, and in some areas, Police said they have seen these incidents spike.

Aggressive drivers usually respond by yelling or flashing an obscene gesture. In some instances, these drivers would have thrown objects, rammed or sideswept other vehicles, or overtaken vehicles, forcing them off the road.
The Traffic Chief said the Force has been tracking road rage incidents and has found that it has now been embedded into the Guyanese culture.
“In Guyana, persons to wait, persons to have patience is something very difficult at this moment. Everyone is in a rush; that is the reason I would have assumed that we would have developed a culture of aggressive driving,” he said.
Stephen explained that the rules of the road are clear, especially when it speaks to overtaking, an issue the Police Force is battling.
“When you are going to overtake another vehicle, you must ensure that in the opposite lane it is safe and clear… our road markings are also clear, where they are solid yellow lines, it indicates that you cannot park, you cannot cross…”, he said.
He stated that it is important that motorists adhere to the rules of the road despite their rage.
Just recently the Guyana Road Safety Council warned commuters of the dangers associated with road rage. The council said that there are serious implications if matters are taken into one’s own hands, and this should be stopped.
They also expressed that road rage in Guyana has resulted in many physical altercations over the years, and these cases continue to spike. As such, they noted that consideration must be given to other drivers.
They stated that while they are aware that there are inconsiderate drivers, there is still a need for caution on the roadways. (G9)