It has been just about one week now since the Traffic Department of the GPF commenced ‘Operation Safeway,’ in conjunction with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the National Road Safety Council, aimed at achieving a marked reduction in road deaths through increased national awareness of road safety matters, a heightened police presence on the roads and the stringent application of the laws.
Given the high rate of fatal accidents seen every year in Guyana, we welcome this renewed focus by the acting Commissioner of Police, coming at a time when the road deaths for the corresponding period last year had already been eclipsed by an additional 8 casualties for 2016 with a record number of 98 road fatalities having occurred thus far.
Research carried out in 2010 by the World Health Organization suggests that 90% of road traffic accidents occur in low to middle income countries, and that such accidents cost countries approximately 3% of their gross national product. This figure rises to 5% in some low and middle-income countries. Guyana’s GDP was measured in 2015 at US$3.2B and if 5% applies here, it would equal US$160M annually.
In Guyana our data collection and statistical analysis methods are not as up-to-date as they could be, so we have no estimates of the costs of road traffic accidents in our country, whether direct or indirect. However, there is little doubt such an estimate would show a negative impact at all levels – injury or death of victims; economic losses to victims, their families and the country; the costs of treatment (including rehabilitation and incident investigation); as well as reduced and lost productivity associated with those killed or disabled by their injuries, etc.
The road death toll in this country is alarmingly high relative to the population, and worldlifeexpectancy.com ranks Guyana as having 4th highest death rate as a result of road traffic accidents with a ratio of 39.8 in 100,000 persons. Even if this figure is unverified, available statistics from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) point to a 33% increase in fatal accidents this year. Guyana definitely has a death rate from road accidents that is alarming, and this has been so for many years.
While the government says road safety is a priority, the figures consistently indicate otherwise. The number of persons who died on our roadways between the years 2011 to 2015 were similar, with the figures tipping over 100 recorded deaths annually; in 2014 the figures climbed to a high of 146 recorded deaths.
Based on the data compiled by the force, speeding accounts for more than half of the fatal accidents recorded followed by drunk driving. These issues are symptomatic of the prevailing culture of lawlessness that has gone unchecked for many years on our roads, and it seems that not a week passes without another road accident featuring in our news headlines.
The frequency with which accidents occur on our roads and the seeming disregard for human life should raise questions about the effectiveness of road safety measures that have been introduced in the past with great fanfare, but which have had little lasting effect. The complacency on our roadways by members of the public is matched only by the culture of corruption that taints law enforcement and renders them ineffective in dealing with this scourge of road accidents. We note that this was foremost among the matters addressed by the acting Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine as he charged his ranks to be more professional and to eschew this unpalatable behaviour and thus become more effective in the execution of their duties.
Over the years we have had quite a number of traffic campaigns targeting traffic deaths and injuries, but these are of temporary duration and are never sustained. Our situation is so grave that the acting Commissioner recently issued a cautionary warning: “If we don’t harness this situation that is developing, the prognosis is that we are likely to have 120 accidents at the end of 2016 with 132 deaths.” Mr Ramnarine said this at the launch of ‘Operation Safeway’ which we hope will not follow in the vein of other road safety campaigns which are rolled out every year or so with a new theme followed by fiery speeches predicting positive changes, only eventually to fade away.
What we need is a sustained effort to improve our infrastructure and systems through which we seek to effect traffic control; increase enforcement and ensure better certification and continuous monitoring of drivers; as well as safer standards, safer vehicles and increased public awareness and education on road safety matters.
We hope that while ‘Operation Safeway’ is in force as a focused campaign, the regular day-to-day functions of the Traffic Department will be built up and strengthened with a view to increasing preventative measures – more road signs, better functioning traffic lights, increased traffic light deployment throughout Guyana, and so on. For instance, radar speed gun signs and traffic camera signs might go some way to conditioning the minds of road users against breaking the law. It is much cheaper to prevent road accidents and breaches of the traffic code than to prosecute and punish offenders.
At this time, however, there also has to be a much more aggressive approach to arresting offenders for speeding and drunk driving, etc. An increase in traffic patrols during the day and night, random breathalyzer testing and an increased use of radar guns would certainly serve us well, but only if police officers themselves do not regard this increased activity as an opportunity for further augmenting their salaries. Achieving dramatic improvements in the road accident figures may well hinge partly, at least, in making headway against the culture of corruption in the Force.
