Although more punitive measures have been introduced by the Guyana Police Force to ensure drivers are attentive, drive within the speed limit and do not drive while under the influence of alcohol, those measures have not been working to reduce the carnage on the roads.
Scenes from the staged accident as part of Road Safety Month activities in Berbice
This was the sentiment of Region Six Chairman David Armogan at the launch of National Road Safety Month activates in Berbice on Wednesday. Armogan is of the view that there is a need for our policymakers to go back to the drawing board.
According to the Regional Chairman, education and public awareness is what is needed. He is of the opinion that starting at the nursery level is best.
Addressing the road safety rally, Armogan pointed out that those who suffer the most are the dependents and loved ones of the injured or dead.
This year, road safety is being observed under the theme ‘Making the roads safer starts with you! Observe, think a second is all it takes to save a life’.
One of the highlights of the rally which was held at the Ebenezer Lutheran Church lawns in New Amsterdam was a staged accident which portrayed the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Despite a pledge by Guyana to reduce road deaths by 50 per cent between 2010 and 2020, Armogan revealed that traffic statistics in Guyana have remained constant since the country subscribed to the United Nations. He believes it is very difficult for Guyana to achieve that goal as set out by the United Nations.
The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011–2020 was officially proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in March 2010. Its goal is to stabilize and reduce the forecast level of road traffic deaths around the world. It is estimated that five million lives could be saved on the world’s roads during the decade.
According to the global status report on road safety, road traffic crashes take the lives of nearly 1.3 million people every year and injure 20 to 50 million more. More than 90 per cent of road traffic deaths and injuries occur in low-income and middle-income countries, which have only 48 per cent of the world’s registered vehicles. If no action is taken, road traffic crashes are predicted to result in the deaths of around 1.9 million people annually by 2020.
Meanwhile, in Guyana so far this year, 92 persons have lost their lives on our country’s roadways as a result of 79 fatal accidents. For the corresponding period last year, it was 99 fatal accidents resulting in 109 deaths.
Noting that there has been a 20 per cent decrease in fatal accidents and a 16 per cent decrease in road deaths so far this year when compared when corresponding period last year, Traffic Chief Dion Moore says this is unacceptable.
“Yes, there has been a significant decrease but it has not been as a result of the Police Force only but because of a collective effort of all stakeholders. For serious accidents, we had 286 last year as against 260 for the same period this year. It shows us that we had a nine per cent decrease for minor and damage accidents. Overall, we have a 14 per cent decrease in accidents but this in itself is unacceptable,” Moore said.
At this time last year, nine children had lost their lives on the country’s roads as compared with two so far this year.
Moore noted that the trend in Guyana shows that pedestrians are the leading category of road users who are killed on the roads. He said the trend has continued this year with motorcyclists being the second highest category of road users to die on the roads. Between January 1 and October 31, 2017, a total of 29 pedestrians and 18 motorcyclists died as a result of vehicular accidents on the country’s roads.
Explaining that speed and driving under the influence of alcohol has been the two major causes of road accidents in Guyana, the Traffic Chief pointed out that inattentiveness is also a major concern.
According to Moore, speeding was the cause for 50 fatal accidents this year while 13 were because the driver was under the influence of alcohol and 11 for inattentiveness.
“We are now recognising that many drivers are being engaged in some form of distraction while driving.” Noting that much work has been done to promote traffic awareness, Moore said much can be done in that regard.
Vehicular traffic has been increasing in every country, including Guyana. As a result of this, drivers are being admonished to be even more careful when using the roads.
Throughout the month, there will be programmes geared at promoting traffic awareness.
