Overall decrease in accidents so far in Berbice

Jul 03, 2018 News

…but 25% increase in fatalities

Stringent efforts by the police in ‘B’ Division (Berbice) to get things under control on the roadways in the Ancient County, has seen an overall decrease in the number of recorded accidents in the division for the period January to May 2018 in comparison to the same period in 2017. There has, however, been a 25% increase in the number of fatalities.
A look at the figure presented to the media will show that for the same period last year the number of overall accidents stood at 105. For this year it is at 100 a decrease of 5%.
A breakdown of the figure show for fatalities the figure for 2017 stood at 12 from 12 accidents. In comparison it has climbed to 16 from 15 accidents in 2018, an increase of 25%.

Divisional Commander Assistant Commissioner Lyndon Alves

Serious accidents stood at 31, while for 2018 it is at 20 a decrease of 35%.
Minor accidents were at 37, for 2018 it stands at 33, a decrease of 11%. There was however an increase in the number of reported damage accidents, as while the figure stood at 25 for last year it has climbed to 32 for 2018, an increase of 28%.
The information was forwarded to the media by Divisional Commander Assistant Commissioner Lyndon Alves and Traffic Officer Assistant Superintendent Timothy Williams.
According to Alves, while there is an overall decrease the figures are still troubling, especially as it relates to the number of fatalities.
“We are making every effort to bring things under control and reduce the figure even further. There is an increase in the number of patrols throughout the division – night, foot, vehicle, motorcycle and intelligence gathering. More ranks have been specifically deployed to help curb the lawlessness that sometimes pervades the roadways.”
The police have begun to take action against those who are encumbering the roadways, especially those on the Corentyne Highway. He said that the police have so far warned a number of those persons and action will be taken shortly.
According to Traffic Officer Williams, they are appealing to cattle farmers who are allowing their animals to roam the roadways to desist from this practice – especially those in the East Coast Berbice (No.19) area, they have been responsible for a number of accidents in the past.