Departing from convention, police officers took the opportunity of their annual conference to congratulate the Traffic Officer and members of the traffic department on the “significant reduction” in road fatalities up to the end of April 2008, in comparison to the similar period in 2007. The conference expressed the view that the road safety campaign, Operation Safeway, “had a positive impact on the traffic situation.”
The police officers, perhaps, were too quick to celebrate and congratulate their colleague. Soon after the end of their conference in April, and throughout the months of May and June, a slew of bad news suggested that old motoring habits were still causing mayhem. In fact, of the 6,628 cases brought against motorists, 2,621 cases or about 39 per cent were for speeding and 1,446 or 21 per cent were for overloaded minibuses. These indicated clearly the causes of sixty per cent of traffic violations.
Although the police traffic department’s enforcement efforts may have resulted in a significant decrease in road fatalities to 36 for the period January 1 to May 31, 2008, compared to 81 for a similar period last year, no one should believe that the roads have become safe enough. The police conference had hardly ended on Saturday night when, early on Sunday morning, the cycle of carnage recommenced.
On April 27, motorcyclist Tameshwar Subryan was killed in a hit-and-run accident at Providence, East Bank Demerara. The next day, Desmond Datterdeen, Marisa Assaye and Mohammed Akbar Mohammed were killed at Bee Hive, East Coast Demerara, when a sand truck attempted to avoid cattle on the carriageway and crashed into a minibus. Ronald Bassoo, and subsequently Lakeram Seepersaud, died following an accident at Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara, on May 2. Two days later, bicyclist Royston Bailey was killed at Washer Pond road, Linden, when he was struck down by a motor lorry and, on May 5, Mikhail Rodney died when the car in which he was travelling at Yarrowkabra, on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, toppled.
At Schoon Ord, West Bank Demerara, bicyclist Samuel Bobb was struck down while was towing his grandson on May 12. Azim Ally was struck down and killed on Sheriff Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, on May 16.
Two days later, Ryan Hemanchand of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, was struck down by a vehicle.
Roylyn Henry and Everad Providence were killed when a minibus collided with a government-owned vehicle on the Potaro road on May 20. Godfrey Crème was killed after his body was tossed several metres into the air by a speedster at Adventure, Essequibo Coast, on May 22. Pedestrian Ramkissoon Ramdeo was struck down at Bath, West Coast Berbice, on May 24.
Six children on their way home from school were among the nine persons injured on May 29 when a minibus speeding along Middle Street, Georgetown, turned turtle several times, spilling passengers onto the street after it crashed into a motor car. Bicyclist Videsh Kellowan was struck down and killed by a motor car at Exmouth, Essequibo Coast, on May 31.
The month of June brought no respite from the slaughter. At Williamsburg, Corentyne Coast, bicyclist Harrypersaud was killed after being struck down by a minibus on June 1. Motorcyclist Aroon Persaud and his pillion rider Narine Persaud were both killed at Hampton Court, Essequibo Coast, on June 7, after being struck down by a government-owned motor vehicle.
And so the story goes. The numbers change but the conditions remain the same.
Is it any wonder that, US Department of State warned its citizens visiting this country that driving is hazardous because of very poor road surfaces; farm animals sleeping or wandering on the roads; pedestrians walking on the road; and poor driving habits, including speeding, reckless driving, tailgating, cell-phone use, quick stops without signalling, failure to dim headlights and weaving in and out of traffic resulting in a traffic accident fatality rate that is 70 per cent higher than in the United States?
A big part of the road safety problem, as the records prove, is that too many vehicles travel too fast and far too few traffic policemen are deployed on the rural roadways where and when speeding is rampant, both by day and night. The police traffic department has a lot more work to do to make this country’s roads safe. It is much too early for celebrations.
