UNTOLD SUFFERING

Aug 18, 2016 Editorial, Features / Columnists

While much attention is being paid to other issues such as the economy, unemployment and crime, road fatalities are mounting. At the end of July, the figure stood at 72, and there have been quite a few more deaths in the first half of this month. It is possible that this year’s figure will surpass that of 2015.
Yesterday’s early morning death of a 58-year-old woman on the Chelsea Public Road at Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, was another reminder of the untold suffering on our roads.
While it is disheartening for many, the one glimmer of hope is that the number of drunk and speeding drivers charged by the police this year has increased when compared with the same period last year. However, despite the increase in charges, the number of fatal crashes continues to rise.
It is estimated that an average of two to three persons die each week on our roads. The nation cannot be comforted until there is a significant reduction, because one fatal crash is simply one too many.
The figures are frightening and should give all road users cause to review how they use the nation’s roadways, because road safety is not just the concern for the police and the government, it is everyone’s responsibility. There are, of course, many drivers, mostly those operating minibuses and other passenger vehicles, who somehow believe that they are invincible.
That belief apparently guides the reckless habits they display daily on the roads. Many have ignored the myriad safety signs which emphasize the need for caution. Generally, the fact that so many people continue to die by accidents each year suggests that much more needs to be done.
Reduction of fatalities could be achieved by increased police presence along the popular thoroughfares; not necessarily the daily harassment of motorists by overzealous ranks using speed guns as playthings to cause law-abiding citizens distress. Also, defensive driving techniques should be included in learner drivers’ training, as well as in the examination for licences.
That, we suspect, would require more human and financial resources. Unfortunately, the Traffic Department has reportedly not been given the human and financial resources it needs to carry out routine programmes, safety analysis and inspection of vehicles, accident detection and remediation, and enforcement of all the traffic laws, including unlicensed drivers, improper lane use, breach of traffic signals, and illegal use of shoulders and turning lanes. These breaches contribute significantly to both unsafe traffic conditions and wanton indiscipline on the roads. Therefore, it is imperative that the strengthening of the traffic department be placed on the top of Government’s agenda.
Indeed, there is need for greater use of road surveillance to make it easier to arrest and prosecute errant drivers who breach rules with impunity. The primary purpose is to enhance road safety by curtailing risks imposed by drivers’ speed choices. A related function is to provide the basis for enforcement and sanctions against those who endanger the lives of other road users. Just as it is with violent crime and other forms of unlawful conduct, we expect that the probability of being caught and punished will lead to greater care by motorists and other road users.
In the end, though, the greatest responsibility lies with each individual. For example, passengers should not be afraid to tell speeding drivers to slow down. And if the drivers choose to ignore that advice, they should not hesitate to demand that they be let out of those vehicles.
The carnage on our roads is a source of untold human suffering and must cease. Regulating speed and promoting safety are mutually exclusive. But all must remember the profound advice: “The life you save may be your own.”

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