The roads are not race tracks

The cries of a child can break one’s heart. The cries of a child watching their father lying lifeless on the road under the weight of a truck that was driven by a reckless driver are haunting. This is the scene that has stuck in my head since the accident that occurred on Tuesday at the intersection of Sheriff and Dennis streets in which Carlton Smartt was killed. The little boy stood there crying and calling for his father. Surrounded by the chaos and cold-heartedness that fuels this society one can only imagine the trauma. I know the pain of losing a father young in tragic circumstances so the road that young man and his little sister will walk is familiar to me. The wife is left to pick up the pieces of herself and her children. From all reports he was a loving husband and father. He was a decent human being who was taking care of his family and being a productive member of our society. On a morning visit to one of his work places, Carlton Smartt became one of Guyana’s latest road fatalities.

It was another accident that could have been avoided if the five Cs – care, caution, consideration, courtesy and common sense were observed. But instead of the five Cs it is carelessness and callousness that many drivers observe. The carnage on the roads continues and nothing changes. It is evident that some drivers believe they are invincible or perhaps even immortal. They perhaps think that they will never crash or burn, or maim or kill, until they kill or injure people, injure themselves or are greeted by their ancestors.

 The sand truck drivers are some of the most reckless on our roads. Between them, some motorcyclists and some bus drivers, I think a study must be done. How are we raising especially our young men that they continue to be so reckless on the roads even though they have seen the consequences of it? Must we question their intelligence? Or are they simply just the products of a ruthless and cruel society that refuses to change?

The sand trucks have proven to be a danger because of how they are driven. Those big wheels driven by arrogance and carelessness are a recipe for disaster and we have seen how the disasters result in the deaths and injuries of citizens. These mostly young drivers speed like the roads are race tracks only for them and those driving smaller vehicles and pedestrians remain at their mercy. There is no reason that we the people should be so scared travelling especially on the East Bank Road when the sand trucks are out and flying. I have heard from a couple of drivers about being stuck in the middle of speeding sand trucks and having to drive off the road to save themselves. It is madness! To some people in this country making money or material gains are more important than human lives. Sick!

We are not a proactive society. We react when these tragedies happen. Two trucks caused the death of a man on Tuesday, there was damage to other vehicles and to a building and there is an outcry. However soon it will quiet again, the man will be buried or cremated while his family will live with their loss and before you know it the trucks will fly again until the next disaster happens. It will not be surprising if those two truckdrivers will be back on the road to speed again indicating that no behaviour change would have taken place and reminding us that Guyana is a corrupt country.

In his New Year’s address this year President Ali announced that there would be a robust road safety and traffic management plan. There was supposed to be a national conversation and new laws, regulation and technology to stop the carnage on the roads. Has this occurred? Speeches and grand plans are useless without actions. The windows are heavily tinted and the sirens are loud so many pretend not to see the daily recklessness on the roads while our citizens race to the place beyond the flesh.

In August statistics from the Guyana Police Force indicated that there was an increase in accidents involving trucks and lorries. Up to that time there were 205 incidents and fatalities occurred from 18 of them. This figure increased from 2023 when there were 143 incidents and with 15 fatalities.

A few days ago, the traffic chief indicated that there were 104 fatal accidents so far this year which resulted in 117 deaths. This is a decrease from last year when there were 156 deaths for the same period.

Every life lost on Guyana’s roads because of recklessness is one too many. There are too many unqualified drivers on the road. The practice of the police selling drivers’ licences is allowed to continue unchecked and unpunished. A person can be driving having never gone through the learner/driver theoretical programme, having never written a test or done a practical but they would have paid for their licence. There are those police who are bold enough to advertise their service of selling licences. What kind of society is this?

The police are also known to collect bribes on the roads for the many daily traffic offences. I recall a policeman telling me that he wanted to be transferred to the traffic department so he could make some money. Would they need to engage in corrupt practices if they were paid living wages? Perhaps it would lessen, but we have also seen greed manifest even for those who are set for life.

In a land of corruption people will continue to suffer mentally, spiritually and physically. We cannot wait for the robust traffic management and road safety plans. Once we use the roads, our lives are at risk because of the reckless driving culture. Who waits to be saved instead of saving themselves? Perhaps, that is our problem as a people. We are waiting to be saved, waiting for someone else to solve our issues, waiting for fairness, justice and equality. Our roads are not race tracks. Too many people have died. Please, it is time we do something.