…as 92 road fatalities recorded so far in 2017
One man is listed as critical while his wife and another walked away with minor injuries, following two separate accidents within the vicinity of the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.
Reports are that in the wee hours of Monday morning, a car driven by a St Cuthbert’s Mission resident slammed into a parked truck along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, in proximity to the Splashmins Resort.
This was after bright lights reportedly emanating from a vehicle proceeding in the opposite direction impaired the vision of the driver, causing him to lose control of his motorcar.
The driver, who was identified as Deon Daniels, was pulled from the mangled vehicle and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
This publication was told that Daniels suffered a broken shoulder and leg, among other injuries and as such remains hospitalised in a critical condition.
Meanwhile, his wife who was also in the car, sustained minor injuries.
Just hours later on Tuesday morning, a truck carrying lumber turned over on the Mabura Trail, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), also within the environs of the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.
Similar to the first accident, this accident reportedly stemmed from the driver’s vision being impaired, resulting in the man being unable to see the deteriorated roadway ahead.
Eyewitnesses present at the scene complained of the deplorable trail which is the main access road in and out of Mabura.
This, they posited, was the cause of the accident, which could have led to the death of the driver, or others present at the accident site.
Nevertheless, the truck driver managed to escape with only minor injuries.
92 road fatalities in 2017
Meanwhile, Traffic Chief of the Guyana Police Force, Dion Moore, has announced that the country is fast approaching 100 road fatalities for the year thus far.
It was while speaking at the launch of National Road Safety Month 2017, that Moore told the media despite the decrease in the number of roads accidents resulting in the loss of lives, the total number of road fatalities recorded by the end of October is just short of 100.
In doing so, he outlined that, “We’ve already have 92 persons who have lost their lives on our country roads as a result of 79 fatal accidents. This is in no way acceptable, even though we are at the moment, [registering] a 20 per cent decrease in fatal accidents 16 per cent decrease in deaths.”
On that note, the Traffic Chief went on to say, “Yes some would say that figures are reducing but for us, one death is always too many.”
This report comes shortly after a motorcar collided with a paddy laden truck on the Corentyne Public Road, resulting in the death of a mother, her two sons and two family friends. This incident is paired with a tragic mishap in Vreed-en-Hoop which led to the demise of three youngsters, just one week later.
In light of these massive tragedies, Moore further highlighted the main causes of death on Guyana’s roadways.
“We have already recognised that speeding is the main contributing factor to accident, coupled with driving under the influence of alcohol. There has been a growing trend that a lot of drivers are engaged in texting and driving or engaged in a cellphone call. Those are forms of distraction that would encourage you to be involved in an accident. Let us refrain from those practices,” underlined the Traffic Chief.
Even with that being established, persons are pinning the blame for these recent incidents on damages to the roadways and poor infrastructure.
However, the Traffic Chief is urging the public to practice caution, especially when driving, noting that such simple strides are at times all it takes to save lives.
Pleading to road users he stated, “Even though a speed limit would be of a particular number, if the road in such a state that you cannot drive at that speed, then reduce your speed. In busy areas reduce your speed. At markets, at intersections, reduce your speed. We all have a role to play.”
