Latest update February 20th, 2025 12:39 PM
Lack of pavements contribute to pedestrian road deaths
– Transportation Engineer
Every life is valuable and to ensure the reduction of road fatalities there is the need for education, enforcement and engineering. These three main pillars must be implemented for society to arrive at any form of sanity on the roadways.
This is according to Professor Dr. Samuel Joseph, Transportation Engineer, of the Latin America and the Caribbean Road Danger Reduction Forum.
Statistics revealed that in Guyana over the past 10 years pedestrians account for 40 percent of road fatalities, making them the most vulnerable on the roadways. Contributing to pedestrians’ vulnerability on the roadways is inadequate road infrastructure such as pavements.
Dr. Joseph pointed out that there are hardly any pavements from Timehri, East Bank Demerara to Georgetown, one of the most populated and heavily traversed stretches in the country. In such situations, the execution of the engineering pillar is important. He explained that pavements do not necessarily have to be concreted and the shoulders of the corridors could be graded, providing safe walkways for pedestrians.
However, there are some instances where pedestrians fall prey to accidents despite necessary infrastructure, hence the necessity for effective education on road safety, particularly at the tertiary level.
Dr. Joseph revealed that the Latin America and the Caribbean Road Danger Reduction Forum has been asking the University of Guyana to establish a department called Transport and Society, to study the impact of road safety.
There are social and public health implications whenever an accident occurs. For instance, hospitals are pressured to provide medical attention to victims of road accidents while at the same time having to provide treatment to existing patients.
Dr. Joseph emphasised that there needs to be a strong enforcement system that is also educational. He suggested that the system should render errant drivers incapable of sitting behind the steering wheel of a vehicle by taking away their drivers’ licences until they undergo proper training in driving courses and are successful.
Participants of the Road Safety Volunteers Workshop
He added that the Latin America and the Caribbean Road Danger Reduction Forum has a hazard perception training which is used for drivers to score points to obtain their licences. The body is working to have this computerized programme utilized by countries.
He made those remarks on Thursday during a Road Safety Volunteers Workshop for trainers, held at Regency Suites, Hadfield Street, Georgetown.
There were 50 participants comprising volunteers and members of the newly formed Road Safety Associations.
According to Romona Doorgen, Co-ordinator, Guyana National Road Safety Council, this workshop is a continuation of the Council’s volunteers training. After the workshop, the participants are expected to train members of their communities, particularly students.
Doorgen stressed that this training is timely since there has been an increasing number of accidents on the roadways. She revealed that the Council is worried about the accidents since despite training sessions, drivers continue to be errant on the roadways. Nonetheless, the body will continue its works in anticipation that drivers will heed the five Cs.
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