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Park and sleep if you are tired – Traffic Chief advises
Traffic Chief Kevin Adonis is firm in his belief that the police are not the ones to be blamed for last weekend’s spate of accidents that left six persons dead.
Traffic Chief Kevin Adonis
Superintendent Adonis, reacting to the deaths which have pushed the country’s road fatality figure just one short of three figures, said it is not that the police are not enforcing the law, but rather the recklessness and disregard for life.
His observation comes as Guyana is celebrating Road Safety Month and a week after he outlined a detailed plan on how the Police Traffic Department plans to control the traffic situation in the country, particularly the city.
“The police are enforcing the laws but it is up to the road users to abide by them,” Adonis said.
According to the traffic chief, Sunday’s double fatality at Meten Meer Zorg, West Coast Demerara, in which two men Hasib Bulla and Juman Ally lost their lives, was the result of a tired driver losing control of his vehicle.
“The driver slept away and hit down three men. He admitted at the scene that he was tired,” Adonis explained.
In the accident on Mandela Avenue that cost the lives of Percival Chester and Tiana Holder, speeding and recklessness were the cause.
“That driver was speeding. He overtook a line of vehicles. On the Number 19 Public Road, the driver was drunk and he swerved from a pothole and hit a man…the next accident (on the East Coast of Demerara) was a hit and run” the Traffic Chief added.
Last year during the Christmas campaign period (November 15 to January 15) there were 19 road deaths and the police are hoping that, despite the hectic start this time around, road fatalities will be significantly reduced.
Figures show that cases of speeding have been on the increase over the past three years with a low of 11,500 in 2011 to a high of 17,700 in 2013 so far. So too has driving while using a cellular phone.
However, strangely enough, cases of driving under the influence of alcohol have reduced from 1027 in 2011 to 492 in 2013 so far.
With a proactive approach being touted to curb drunk driving this Christmas season, there is the possibility that many more cases could be made.
The patience of this mini bus driver ran out, so he tries to dodge the bumper to bumper traffic on the East Coast Demerara Railway Embankment.
“Nobody is stopping people from drinking, but we will be stepping up the pressure. If you are tired, park your vehicle in a safe place and sleep it off. We know we will get some flak, but we will be enforcing the law,” the traffic chief said.
Superintendent Adonis reminded that in all divisions, cars and motor cycles will be on day and night patrols , while foot patrols will be utilised as far as practicable to deter potential errant drivers.
In the city, a crash truck will be used to tow away illegally parked vehicles, while vehicle escorts will be provided as required.
In his Christmas campaign presentation, the traffic chief said that major areas of focus will be the Stabroek Market and its environs, Bourda Market and its environs, Regent Street, Camp Street, Water Street and Main Street.
Emphasis will also be placed on Lombard Street, Sheriff Street, Aubrey Barker Road, Rupert Craig Highway, Vlissengen Road and Homestretch Avenue.
Other hotspot areas outside Georgetown that will be under strict focus are East Bank Public Road -between Craig and Providence, East Coast – Liliendaal/Turkeyen, West Coast and West Bank Public Roads and Soesdyke – Linden Highway.
According to the traffic chief, with more and more vehicles competing for space on the country’s inadequate road system, the traffic department will certainly have its work cut out, but he assured that they will be rising to the challenge.
Figures indicate that close to 10,000 new vehicles have been entering Guyana every year for the past five years.
Demographic trends worldwide indicate more teen drivers and elderly drivers will be on the roads and driving challenges vary for different age groups.
Older drivers have slower reaction times, more difficulty seeing and interpreting some types of signs, night vision challenges, and may have more difficulty estimating trajectories and speeds of other vehicles and pedestrians.
Data have shown that “teen drivers have the highest accident risk of any age group” due to distractions.
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