Thirteen persons were killed on the roadways by the end of January and Traffic Chief Neil Semple has said that despite numerous pleas for the exercise of care and caution, persons continue to be reckless.
During a telephone interview with Stabroek News, Semple said the number of traffic deaths went up by two when compared to January last year. He attributed the increase to speeding and the continued practice of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Semple said while traffic patrols have been increased, ranks cannot be on every street. “We can’t have police all night [patrolling the road],” he added. He noted that in quite a few cases the accidents occur at a time when there is very little traffic.
According to Semple, the Traffic Department is continuing its general enforcement on minibuses and he once again appealed to passengers to speak out when the drivers are speeding and not wait to vent their displeasure after an accident has occurred. “We are trying our best to educate the public and to continue our efforts to promote safety on all our roads,” he stressed.
According to Stabroek News’ records, there were 11 road deaths in January.
The first occurred on January 2 at the Lusignan Public Road, East Coast Demerara and resulted in the death of Mark Seebarran. Reports are that Seebarran, who was towing a woman on his pedal cycle, rode out from an access road onto the main road and was struck down by motor car HB 7825. He died on the spot. The driver of the car Melroy Jeffrey has since been charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
On the same day, Rajkumar Basdeo became the first road fatality for Berbice. It is alleged that a drunk driver collided with his motorcycle while attempting to overtake another vehicle.
Two days later, on January 4, Julian Mohabir, 23, of Sheet Anchor, East Canje died after the car he was travelling in collided with a utility pole. Reports are that the driver, while crossing the Canje Bridge, overtook a motor vehicle and was confronted by an oncoming vehicle. The driver swerved to avoid the utility pole, lost control of the vehicle and struck a utility pole along the roadway.
Mohabir, the driver and three other occupants were rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital. Mohabir was pronounced dead on arrival.
The following day Stabroek News driver Owen Elliot died following an early morning crash at Diamond, East Bank Demerara. The 49-year-old father of four was on his way to deliver newspapers along with a colleague when the incident occurred.
Reports are that Elliot lost control of the vehicle, a Suzuki van, on the public road, close to a turn near the Demerara Distillers Limited compound.
The van skidded in a pool of water at the side of the road and the vehicle subsequently ended up in the trench. The man reportedly died from drowning.
The next road fatality occurred on January 14. Naomi Nedd, who was three months pregnant, died after the car she was in collided with a tree at Kuru Kuru, Soesdyke-Linden Highway. Nedd’s mother Carol, who was driving, according to the police, swerved from an animal that ran across the road, lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the tree.
The two women along with Shenika Elcock, 13, who was also in the vehicle, were rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where Nedd was pronounced dead on arrival.
On January 21, Deborah Denny was killed after the minibus her husband was driving crashed into a car at the corner of Lance Gibbs and Oronoque streets.
The husband, Walter Denny, who sustained injuries, was on Tuesday charged with causing death by dangerous driving. He was released on $150,000 bail.
Two men were killed in separate accidents on January 23. Around 8:30 pm, pedestrian Eddie Williams, 18, of Long Creek, was struck down by a car at Long Creek, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway. Reports are that Williams was attempting to cross the road when he was struck. He was taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Several hours later, Mahendra Ojha of South Ruimveldt was struck down outside a wedding house at Ruimzeight, West Demerara.
Lance Corporal from the Guyana Defence Force Vijai Singh of Ocean View, Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara died on January 29, after his motorcycle slammed into the back of a Toyota Prado on the Tuschen Public Road, East Bank Essequibo.
Singh was riding a CBR motorbike heading east on the public road while a Prado was turning into the Double Day International Hotel.
It is believed that he misjudged the speed of the Prado when he collided with the vehicle’s back bumper, lost control and slammed into a motorcar heading west on the road. He was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he succumbed a few hours later to head injuries sustained from the accident.
Two days later on January 31, two more men were killed in vehicular accidents. David Yacuba, a mason from Plaisance, was struck down by a hire car on the Better Hope public road.
According to reports the driver was speeding. Sixty-two-year-old Chandradat Dhanraj of Number Nine Village, West Coast Berbice was hit by a minibus. At the time of the accident, the elderly man was riding a pedal cycle.
