Latest update June 16th, 2026 12:40 AM
Proposals for stemming road carnage
Dear Editor,
It is quite understandable that everyone from the Head of State to the man-in-the-street should be concerned about the carnage on our country’s roadways.
Anecdotally, chief among the several contributory factors for the unnecessary bloodshed that bedevils us are: the criteria for obtaining a driver’s license; road conditions; excessive speeding; driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol; heavy tints on the windows of vehicles; distracted driving; and poor traffic education awareness just to name a few. Incidentally no one seems to consider persons being under the influence of a prescribed medication, or vehicles with manufacturer defects.
Also conspicuously absent in these justifiable public outpourings are proposed strategies which can assist us in bringing this undesirable trend in road fatalities to an end. I suggest that any strategy aimed at addressing this scourge which has implications for national development should also embrace the concept of road policing to complement traditional traffic policing.
Editor, road policing is practiced in some countries as a zero-tolerance approach which recognizes that anti-social behaviour and speeding drivers on roads cause damage, disturb the peace and threaten the safety of communities.
Therefore all interventions should be focused on reducing injury on the roadways and ensuring that road users are not intimidated or victimized by unlawful and anti-social behavior.
Concomitantly, visible cooperation among the government agencies and other stakeholders will generate needed support from members of the public who must be made aware that criminals also utilize the road networks to facilitate their criminal activities.
A proposed strategy must take into consideration the focus and in-place strategies of the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department, in relation to carrying out its role in enforcing traffic laws and managing traffic enforcement to make safer and more secure communities. It should also provide direction on developing strategic road policing priorities.
Appropriate allocation of resources will achieve an effective balance of specific deterrence strategies against recidivist and targeted offenders, and enforcement activities such as high visibility cameras and application of random breath testing to make road users accountable for any unlawful road-user behaviour, anywhere and at any time
Editor not to seem too draconian but I feel that legislation which empowers the State to impound vehicles that are driven in a reckless manner or are driven at a speed equal to or greater than 10 km/h over the posted speed limit can have a salutary effect on the recalcitrant.
Of course this will have to be carefully monitored lest it opens the door to insalubrious practices. By locating the strategy in the context of road policing the GPF could be better able to promote a road traffic law enforcement style and culture reflective of the concept of policing compliance with traffic laws cognizant of all of the impacts that result from policing our roads.
Patrick E. Mentore
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