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Youth population mostly affected by 42% increase in road deaths
The increase in road fatalities this year has mostly affected our youth population. For the period January 1, 2020, to September 25, 2020, Guyana recorded a 42% increase in deaths from 37% increase in road fatalities when compared to 2019, with 103 fatal accidents, which resulted in the death of 112 persons. This is according to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Traffic Department statistics report.
The GPF traffic statistics show that road fatalities are more prevalent with motorcyclists between ages 17-24, and the highest age range of persons involved in fatal accidents are between 25-42 years old.
Road traffic accidents and deaths are major concern to the GPF, and the increase in the number of young persons being killed in road accidents not only affects individuals but also the communities and the country at large.
Kaieteur News understand that most of these fatalities occurred mainly on Saturdays and Sundays between 18:00hrs and 00:00hrs, and are caused by speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol.
Among the youth fatalities this year is Quamie Dalton, 24, a minibus conductor of Ice House Road, Timehri, died in a fatal crash on August 10 while he and his friends were heading home in a car from a birthday party in Supply, East Bank Demerara. Police said that the car was travelling at a fast rate when the driver struck a median, lost control and veered off the road crashing into a light pole before toppling several times.
A week before that, on August 3, three young persons, including a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) rank, were killed while two others were injured in an accident which saw two cars slamming into a parked estate lorry on the Whim, Corentyne, Berbice public road. The victims were identified as 21-year-old Jessica Leitch of Rose Hall Town, Berbice; 21-year-old GDF rank, Kwesi Antonio Lewis of Springlands, Upper Corentyne, Berbice and 25-year-old Reon Moriah of Circle Street, Corriverton, Berbice.
The GPF is calling on drivers and motorists to desist from speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol on the roadways and to adhere to all road safety rules and guidelines, to help reduce the high number of road fatalities. The report also noted that the death of young people depletes Guyana’s human capital resources, and that will affect the country’s economic growth.
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