Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, who visited the scene of the horrific De Willem, West Coast Demerara (WCD) accident, has expressed concerns over the continued reckless usage of the country’s roadways, particularly by ‘young male’ drivers.
Three bystanders were this evening killed in an accident that was allegedly caused by two vehicles that were racing along the public road.
Preliminary reports indicate that two vehicles were racing along the roadway when they collided with each other. One of the vehicles reportedly drove away whilst the other spun out of control and slammed into car that was parked outside of a bar.
In the process, the car struck down and killed the three persons who were on the road. The driver of that motorcar is said to be in a critical condition. At least three other persons are said to be injured.
“It is a tragedy!” Minister Benn bemoaned.
“We can’t help but emphasising again, the issues as it relates to speeding on the roads particularly by the younger demographic, males; and speeding associated with drinking…” he expressed.
“I want to encourage persons who use the roadways to use it in a very responsible manner, particularly young drivers, young men,” the Minister added.
According to the Home Affairs Minister, the country had a “successful year” in 2021 as it relates to road fatalities, with a 29% reduction.
But based on the statistics so far this year, Minister Benn said “we appear to have already be in trouble at the rate we’re going”.
Only a few days ago, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill issued a statement expressing concerns at the alarming rate of road fatalities for the year.
For the year 2021, 99 persons were killed when compared with 139 persons for 2020. The 2021 results showed a 29% reduction when compared to 2020.
The “vulnerable class” of road users (pedal cyclist, motor cyclist and pedestrian) accounted for 67.7% of the total deaths in 2021 while in 2020, they accounted for 79.9% of the total deaths.
Minister Edghill had disclosed that from the data retrieved from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), it was found that pedal and motor cyclist combined accounted for 37.4% of the deaths in 2021 and 56.1% in 2020.
Comparative data has shown that as of March 3, 2022, 15 persons were killed on the roadways, as a result of 14 accidents, when compared with the same period for 2021, when 20 persons died from 19 accidents.
“What is significantly alarming, is that in 2021, 14 of the 20 persons killed at that period were the most vulnerable classes of road users (two pedal cyclists, eight motor cyclists and four pedestrians). While at March 3, 2022 of the 15 killed, the vulnerable classes accounted for seven (two pedal cyclists, three motor cyclists, two pedestrians),” Minister Edghill had noted.
The government official noted too that he and his Cabinet colleagues will relook at the current laws and examine ways in which they can ensure “stricter controls, be it the training/re-training of drivers/ riders, higher fines or stiffer penalties and a studied approach for the introduction of a demerit system.”
This point was reiterated by the Home Affairs Minister tonight as he lamented the fact three innocent lives have been lost and the social implications this will now have on their families and the community.
