Operation Safeway garners results – Top Cop

Oct 15, 2017 News

Almost one year since Operation Safeway was launched, the Police traffic department has managed to reduce the number road fatalities.
On September 15, 2016, the Traffic Chief launched Operation Safeway with the intention of

Police Commissioner David Ramnarine

decreasing accidents and deaths on the roads and promoting better road safety awareness.
According to Commissioner of Police (Ag) David Ramnarine, Operation Safeway “has resulted in the reduction in the number of fatal accidents this year compared to the same period last year.”
This year, the GPF has recorded reduction in those numbers. To date we are at a 22 percent decrease in accidents and 20 percent decrease in deaths in comparison to the same period.
From January to September 2017, the GPF recorded 65 accidents with 72 deaths. Speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol remain the leading cause of accidents on the roadways.
“It is not pleasing but it’s a great achievement and we are looking forward to the continued support from members of the public to further reduce accidents and deaths by the end of this year.”
The year 2016 was one of the deadliest for road users with 116 fatal accidents resulting in 127 deaths by the end of that year.
When Safeway was launched, the GPF had already recorded 89 accidents with 96 deaths. That was a 33 percent increase in fatal accidents and a 17 percent increase in deaths compared to 2015.
One week after the launch of Operation Safeway, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) made over 1000 cases against motorists breaching the traffic laws. As a result of this undertaking, a number of exercises were put in place to educate citizens about the necessity of heeding road laws.
The police continued to drop the heavy hand of the law on traffic offenders resulting in road users being prosecuted for traffic offences.
Driving under the influence of alcohol and speeding are the most prevalent of traffic offences. Fifty seven persons have since been arrested for driving above the prescribed alcohol limit while over 400 persons have been prosecuted for speeding.
Operation Safeway was launched to clamp down on drunk, speeding and reckless drivers.
As part of the operation, traffic ranks can be seen on the road conducting rigid exercises throughout the country with the main areas of focus being Georgetown, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and East Coast Demerara (ECD).

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