The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has recorded a 61 per cent increase in vehicular accidents for the year. This is according to Traffic Chief Dion Moore in a recent interview with the Government Information Agency.
According to Moore, the traffic task force has been reintroduced to curb accidents, pointing out that the use of cell phones while driving and inattentiveness are among the reasons for accidents.
“Our main focus will be to catch, capture driver who chose to drive above the prescribed limit, speeding in areas where there are traffic lights, breach of traffic lights control signals, driving using a cell phone as well,” Moore explained.
The reintroduction of the traffic task force is expected to address these concerns along with other traffic violations, adding that the task force, which will consist of Police ranks including inspectors, will be conducting enforcement in all divisions.
Using cell phones while driving is “a soaring issue”, Moore added. However, effectively charging persons for this violation is difficult for policemen. Officers first have to recognise the offence but many drivers contest using their cell phones with the Police.
“A lot of persons when they see the police, upon recognising the police, they’ll drop the phone in the vehicle and remain in the same
Traffic Chief Dion Moore
position that they were at and they will try to contest with the police that they were on the call,” said Moore.
However, the Police have been assisted by surveillance cameras that are installed across the city, Moore said. “We do find a lot of cases coming out of the CCTV cameras and we will continue in that regards,” he pointed out. The cameras have also assisted Police with bringing charges to drivers who breach traffic lights.
The task force is also expected to assist in curbing these violations, along with the cameras whilst operating between Fridays to Mondays. “We find most of the accidents occurring during that period and a lot of these drivers are found above the prescribed limit of alcohol,” Moore told GINA.
Meanwhile, Moore pointed out that there has also been a 50 per cent increase in fatal accidents. There has also been an increase in minor accidents by 21 per cent. There was a reported 60 accidents for this year compared to 40 during the same period last year.
While Moore identified driving under the influence as the major cause for a lot of the accidents, it was speeding that was responsible for most fatal accidents as well as inattentiveness on the roads was identified as a cause of fatal accidents. A total of 12,161 persons have been charged so far for speeding, Moore added.
The Traffic Chief said everyday enforcement, coupled with education awareness across the country, will be used to decrease traffic accidents. “We’ll work along with the stakeholders, the National Road Safety Council and other organisations to see how best we can reduce accidents,” Moore assured.
The traffic department will be soliciting youth organisations and vocational training programmes over the August holiday to conduct educational programmes on road safety.
