In light of a recent fatal accident involving a heavy-duty vehicle on the Linden/Lethem trail, police officers met with lumber truck drivers with the aim of enforcing safety regulations.
The police team comprised of Commander of ‘E’ Division, Senior Superintendent Linden Lord and Traffic Chief Linden Isles, as well as other senior ranks of the Guyana Police Force.
The meeting, which was held at the McKenzie Police Station on Tuesday, saw some 50 lumber truck operators in attendance.
The Guyana Police Force reminded the operators that the stipulated time of operation was between 06:00hrs to 18:00hrs daily and that lorries should avoid overtaking on the roadways.
They were also reminded of the speed limit and the need to have reflectors on the vehicle at all times.
Furthermore, the operators were urged to have five reflector cones placed around the vehicle when parked on roadways at nights.
They were also reminded of weight restrictions and the need to properly load the truck.
On the other hand, the lorry operators had concerns of their own. According to a statement from the Police Force, the drivers wanted more leniency from traffic ranks as the vehicles often encounter electrical problems after coming out from an interior location.
They also complained of vehicles with sirens (other than emergency vehicles) forcing them off the road. “In some cases, to stop at rum shops,” GPF said in a statement.
The deplorable condition of the road between Wisroc, Linden and Rockstone Junction was also highlighted.
Another meeting is scheduled for later this month, where more issues affecting these operators are expected to be addressed.
