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Road safety associations appeal to motorists to “save our children”
Members of the Enterprise Road Safety Association were seen painting road signs throughout their community on Sunday.
Schools have reopened for the new academic year and as usual excited school children will throng the roadways of Guyana, vying for space with wild and unruly motorists, and uncaring horse cart operators.
And once again stakeholders in the road safety arena, are appealing for good sense to prevail to save the lives of one of the country’s major resources-youths.
Stakeholders have been making physical efforts to support their appeal. These efforts include erecting new road signs, especially in school areas and repainting those that had vanished over time.
One such organization is the Enterprise Road Safety Association, which is made up of drivers and other concerned residents of the East Coast Demerara village.
A visit to the community last Sunday gave the impression that one was in a different country, where brightly painted road signs greeted the eye on every street.
President of the Association Chandrapaul Persaud told this newspaper that the organization will continue to do its part in making the roadways of their community, a safe zone for both motorists and pedestrians, especially schoolchildren.
“We are not doing well in terms of road accidents and fatalities, and I am calling on all drivers of mini buses and taxis to be extra careful on the road,” Persaud said.
He expressed appreciation that the authorities saw it fit to make a section of the East Demerara Railway Embankment a one way road, which has eased congestion significantly.
“However, it would be nice for the authorities to make the entire embankment a one-way road. I would also like the government to do something and bring in big buses for the school children. I see some of these children on the roads after nine in the mornings and even as late as eight in the nights,” the road safety executive told this newspaper.
Meanwhile the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) is once again appealing and urging all road users to be more responsible in their day to day activities on the roadways.
“Yesterday the new school term began, drivers are asked to look out for the school children. Teachers and Parents are reminded to enforce the Road Safety education and School Safety Patrols in schools. Students are reminded of the Curb Drill: – look right, look left, look right again and when the road is clear, walk briskly across. All Pedestrians should take note of the Curb Drill,” the GNRSC stated in a press release.
The GNRSC cited blatant disregard for traffic laws and traffic advisories as the major contributing factors to road accidents
“Pedestrians and cyclists are also to be blamed for their carefree and sloppy attitudes when using the roadways. These behaviors should be discontinued immediately to put an end to some of these ‘Needless Road Crashes and Deaths,” the GNRSC stated.
To date 88 persons have lost their lives as a result of road accidents, a whopping 21 more than the corresponding period last year.
Of the total number of road deaths, 11 were children.
“Fellow road users, please be advised that the reduction of road accidents can only be achieved with your input. So again, the Guyana National Road Safety Council is pleading with all road users and responsible Guyanese to join with us in our campaign to help stop the road carnage by correcting the careless ways we use our roads, and adhering to the road safety and traffic laws to make our streets and roads safer,” the GNRSC said in its statement.
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