Dear Editor,
So, The Police Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force and The Guyana Road Safety Association (GRSA) are once again collaborating on the issue of Road Safety in their efforts to curb what is now a chronic situation insofar as road accidents, and in particular where Road Fatalities are concerned. The situation has reached disproportionately high levels affecting all categories of drivers and riders and especially motor cyclists, many of whom are very young persons whose valuable lives are being snuffed out on a regular basis, almost weekly. This new wave of road fatalities is extremely worrying and cannot be dealt with by just mounting campaigns given the high level of corruption known to be associated with such exercises.
Unless insurance companies are made to play a major role along with the Traffic Department and the GRSA we are simply whistling in the wind. Like I wrote before, when a massive ‘Respect the Road’ campaign was planned, such initiatives are not likely to produce the kind of results which they are touted do in a situation like we are faced with. With many drivers and riders undertrained and some not at all, to deal with faster vehicles and roads, one can see on a daily basis how such inexperience plays out on our urban and, suburban roads and faster highways. Compounding all this is a sheer lack of road courtesy and the lack of a basic knowledge of road signs and markings.
It is time to ask for HELP and seek professional advice on how to deal with the situation.
Owners and drivers of commercial vehicles as well as private vehicles need to be re-trained by professionals and not leave the training up to an overworked and underpaid Police Road Safety Training unit to certify drivers. At the end of each training spell, drivers should receive certificates from competent and accredited instructors before their licenses are issued. Insurance Companies must also play a major role in the certification process to ensure no one slips through the net. Insurance Companies must work in tandem with the Police Traffic Department and the Guyana Road Safety Council to develop appropriate penalties for re-occurring, dangerous driving and guilty parties of road fatalities which can range from higher premiums, loss of insurance discounts and the extreme cases of suspensions and the permanent loss of driving privileges.
Nothing less is likely to improve the high rate of accidents and road carnage when corruption at the level we are dealing with is factored in. Editor, I make this appeal and forward my suggestion in good faith with the hope that at last they well be taken into consideration. Our country cannot afford this high and senseless loss of life at any time but least of all at this critical period of our development when our human capital is most required.
Sincerely,
Bernard A. Ramsay