Latest update November 18th, 2024 1:00 AM
Latest News
- ExxonMobil eyeing 8th project despite Jagdeo says 7th ‘iffy’
- City Mayor slams govt. for favouring foreign companies over locals for tax concessions
- Pope Francis urges inquiry into Gaza genocide allegations
- New aircraft for GDF commissioned
- Importing truck drivers from Bangladesh, a disrespect to Guyanese – Norton
1,377 people killed in fatal accidents over ten-year period
John Daniels
By Rabindra Rooplall
For the past ten years 1,377 persons were killed in fatal accidents, among them 199 children, 568 pedestrian and 160 drivers.
This was revealed by acting Traffic Chief, John Daniels, who was at the time speaking at an observance in recognition of the Global Decade of Action for Road Safety Month 2010-2020, Thursday at Water Street, outside Muneshwer’s car park. Daniels said that for last year, around the same period there were 37 fatalities from 37 accidents, and for this year there was 40 fatalities out of 40 accidents.
“We are trying our utmost with the resources we have to minimize the rate of accidents in the country presently.”
Noting that most of the accidents in the country occur during the hours of darkness, Daniels said that during that period the speed that a driver might be able to travel with in the day should not be the same in the night since their vision would be impaired because of less light.
Daniels recounted that the police force was able to prosecute persons for driving under the influence of alcohol as well as speeding. For last year 15,362 persons were prosecuted for various traffic offences and all those cases are almost completed, and for 2010-2011 there were 1,099 persons charged for driving under the influence of alcohol and for this year 354 person were already charged.
He recommended that various organisations hold programmes to ensure their drivers have the requisite knowledge about road safety.
Adding that soon road safety will become a part of the curriculum in school, Assistant Superintendent Daniels said this would have to be done since road safety is everyone’s business especially with the alarming accident rate throughout the country and the world.
Daniels further said that persons who use the roads may end up receiving injuries and in some cases lose their lives when they do not acknowledge the proper road safety rules. And since the human resource is the most important asset more so children, it is a great loss that such resources are being snuffed out through careless and reckless forms of driving, it brings grief to society, family members and the country as a whole.
Adding that pedestrians followed by pedal cyclist and motorcyclist are the most vulnerable in fatal accidents, Daniels said, “We’re trying our utmost with the resources we have to minimize on the rate of accident in our country, presently. We have overt and covert patrols, we have night patrols; whatever resources we have we use so as to assist in reducing the accident figures,” Daniels said.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Traditional media is still king
…Peeping Tom Kaieteur News-Election campaigns are a battle for attention, persuasion, and votes. In this digital age,... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
