As family members prepare to lay 15-year-old Navindra Mahes to rest after his tragic death in a road accident on Thursday morning, they have bemoaned the poor road culture across the country.
Mahes, a student of the Annandale Secondary School, died after he was struck down by a motorcar while attempting to cross the road on a pedestrian crossing at Success, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
Speaking with this publication, the victim’s grandmother, Kavita Arjun, expressed frustration that drivers rarely stop for pedestrians.
“You deh on the pedestrian crossing and they [drivers] would not stop…it got some sick drivers on the road,” the woman lamented.
In an invited comment to this publication, Traffic Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mahendra Singh, emphasised that drivers approaching a pedestrian crossing must slow down and give way to those on foot. He added that special priority should be given to children and the elderly. In fact, the Traffic Chief noted that these basic principles are taught to drivers during the examination process to obtain their licences.
Moreover, according to the Guyana Road Traffic Code found in the Guyana Police Force’s website, drivers must “watch for the pedestrian who come out suddenly from behind stationary vehicles and other obstructions. Be especially careful of this near school, bus stops and pedestrian crossings.”
“Give way to pedestrians on Pedestrian Crossings. THEY HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY. Signal to other drivers your intention to slow down or stop,” the code further outlines.
Third Lane
Meanwhile, Mahes was struck down during the ‘third lane’ system, which was implemented by the Traffic Department to bring relief to commuters during rush hour traffic along the East Bank and East Coast of Demerara.
But the Traffic Chief said he has taken a decision to discontinue the practice.
With the third lane system discontinued, the Traffic Chief assured that ranks will be strategically positioned along the country’s roadways to help with the smooth flow of traffic.
Close Arrest
Mahes was struck down by a vehicle driven by a 35-year-old female Police Corporal, who was placed under close arrest following the crash.
The police officer was driving her motorcar in the third lane when Mahes attempted to cross the road on the pedestrian crossing – resulting in the collision.
Mahes fell onto the roadway, where he received injuries to his body. He was picked up by public-spirited citizens and escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit, suffering from head injuries and a fractured right leg. He succumbed to his injuries at 09:56hrs while receiving medical treatment.
At about 08:10 hours today, a post-mortem examination with dissection was performed by government pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh. Upon completion of the post-mortem examination, the cause of death was determined to be ‘multiple injuries resulting from a motor vehicle accident’. The body was later handed over to the family.
Family life
Mahes was described by family members as a bright and ambitious young man who dreamed of becoming an engineer and had a deep love for cars, video games and anime.
His father passed away six years ago, leaving his mother, Vimlawattie Christina Arjun, to raise him and his younger sister, who is now six years old.
Due to financial challenges, his mother had sent Navindra to live with relatives in Berbice, where he excelled in his studies and topped his class at the NGSA.
When circumstances improved, she brought him back home. Though he was initially set to attend school in Georgetown, she requested that he be placed at a school on the East Coast so that it would be easier on their family.
According to the mother, she used to pay for a taxi to take him to school, but the cost eventually became too much to manage. As a result, she taught him how to take the bus instead.
“For Form One and Two, I used to pay to take him and bring him. But it started to get too much – $5000 a week, $20,000 a month. So I said I would teach him how to catch the bus. It took him two days… and he got accustomed,” she explained.
Every morning before he left home, the mother said she would encourage him to be safe.
Thursday morning was no different. Her last words to her son was to “take your time on the road”, the grieving mother recalled.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Guyana’s death toll for the year so far is 104, an increase compared to the 100 deaths from 88 fatal accidents for the same period last year.
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