‘Slow Down and Stay Safe’: Police urge caution on roads

Law enforcement officials are urging drivers to remain vigilant, warning that reckless driving – particularly speeding – continues to pose a major risk to public safety, despite declining road accidents across several regions.
During the most recent episode of Road Safety and You, hosted by Mr Earl Lambert, senior traffic officers emphasised the need for responsible road use, highlighting the dangers of high-speed driving, congestion issues at the Demerara Harbour Bridge, and the importance of patience and cooperation among motorists.
During his time on the floor, Inspector Tullaram Roop, of Vigilance Police Station, who is the Inspector in charge of traffic on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), and Commander of Regional Division 4C, made it clear that excessive speed remains one of the leading causes of fatal crashes, even as accident rates show a downward trend.

“First, I must say road safety is not the police’s business, it’s everyone’s business,” Roop stated. “And road safety time is that you must do the right thing.” He explained that vigilance is necessary at all times, warning that failure to follow the rules can lead to devastating consequences.
Sergeant Keevin Glasgow, the Subordinate Officer in charge of traffic at Wales Police Station in Regional Division 3 (Essequibo Islands -West Demerara), reinforced the message that speed continues to be a problem in certain areas, despite a decrease in accidents.
“When I look at accidents, we would have identified some black spots where accidents are prone to happen [in Region Three],” Glasgow explained. “And we do something, we try to choke those areas. What do I mean? Maintain a police presence in those areas and use it as a deterrent.”
On the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, where road construction is ongoing, Sergeant Ronald Payne from Regional Division 4B, East Bank Demerara (EBD), who is the Subordinate Officer in charge of the Highway Patrol Base on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, explained that officers are working diligently to manage the safety risks associated with high-speed driving in an area with heavy vehicle movement.
“From January, or should I say, the last time to now, we would have had a decrease in road accidents,” Payne noted. “My team and I would normally go out every day and lecture to drivers, to companies. We would do regular enforcement, not just in one area, but in the entire Linden-Soesdyke Highway that comes under my command.”
Along the East Bank and East Coast corridors, traffic congestion remains a major issue, particularly at the Demerara Harbour Bridge, where impatient drivers contribute to the daily chaos. Sergeant Glasgow noted that one of the biggest problems at the bridge is the number of motorists who refuse to join the proper traffic lines, instead attempting to cut in at the last moment, creating further delays.
“Well, I would have seen the complaint. However, like I said the last time I was here, there’s a roundabout just at the Harbour Bridge, and traffic, the southbound traffic, there’s four lanes proceeding south,” Glasgow explained. “Now, there are some persons that don’t want to come and join the line and want to, as we would say, borderline. However, we have a system in place for that, we have three motorcyclists who are there, criss-crossing to mitigate against that.”
“Sometimes when the bridge opens, it takes a little while before it locks, or sometimes there’s a spill or a vehicle breaks down on the bridge… and you know these drivers, they tend to get confrontational with the police, not knowing what is causing the build-up or the delay in traffic.”
With the weekend upon us, officers reminded drivers to avoid unnecessary risks, plan their journeys in advance, and obey all road safety regulations.
Sergeant Payne urged drivers to adopt safer practices and follow the Five Cs of Road Safety—Care, Courtesy, Consideration, Common Sense, and Caution. He noted that many accidents could be prevented if road users simply exercised patience and respect for others on the road.
“We are working, and we are seeing progress, but safety is not just about enforcement. It’s about personal responsibility,” Payne said. “If everyone plays their part—drivers, pedestrians, and police—then we can keep these numbers going down.”
As police continue their enforcement efforts, they are calling on all road users to do their part in making the roads safer.