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Road deaths in 2023 cost economy $750M– Minister Benn
Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn during the Road Safety Public Education Awareness Motorcade and Walk (DPI photo)
Kaieteur News-Amid growing concerns over road accidents here, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn has disclosed that road deaths in Guyana in 2023 cost the economy an estimated $750million.
Minister Benn made this comment during his speech at the conclusion of the Road Safety Public Education Awareness Motorcade and Walk, titled “Do the Right Thing.” The minister highlighted the severe financial impact of road fatalities, noting that each death not only brings profound human loss but also places a significant strain on the country’s resources.
Back in February this year the Inter-American Development Bank in a publication titled: ‘Increasing Road Safety in Latin America and the Caribbean: Lessons from Behavioral Economics’ stated that road crashes are a significant public health issue in Latin America and the Caribbean, resulting in a staggering toll of approximately 110,000 fatalities and over 5 million injuries annually. These tragedies have far-reaching economic implications, costing Latin America and the Caribbean between 3 and 5 percent of its gross domestic product, the IDB publication said.
During an interview with Kaieteur News, a representative from Ministry of Home Affairs explained that the estimated $750 million loss from road deaths in 2023 was calculated based on a breakdown of Guyana’s population and its total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the year 2023. The process began by dividing the country’s total population by the GDP rate for 2023, which helped establish a per capita value. This figure was then adjusted by dividing it further based on the number of males and females who died in road accidents during the year. By applying this method, the representative explained, the $750 million estimate was reached, reflecting the economic cost of the lives lost to traffic fatalities in Guyana.
Benn said, “Every road death instantly impacts the national income by more than $8 million.” He added, “We want to remember that the people who die should not be … considered as mere statistics, they are not mere statistics.” He explained that the loss of young people, in particular, deprives the nation of individuals who had the potential to contribute significantly to the country’s development and economy.
Benn highlighted that road deaths are one of the leading causes of death and morbidity in Guyana. While road deaths may rank eleventh on the official scale of leading causes of death, Minister Benn emphasised that the impact is far greater when considering not only the fatalities but also the extended recovery periods and ongoing care required by many survivors. This, he said places a particularly heavy burden on the public health system, making it a challenging issue to address.
The minister also alluded to the United Nations (UN) Decade of Action for Road Safety, which aims to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 50 percent by 2030.
Currently, Guyana is at 117 road fatalities, with more than two or three people dying each week. The Minister explained that the goal is to cut this number in half by the end of the decade, and ultimately reduce road deaths by nearly two-thirds. The minister stressed that “doing the right thing” should not only apply to road safety but also to a broader cultural shift in how people approach all aspects of life. Minister Benn pointed out that younger people, especially those just out of school, are often the most vulnerable, particularly motorcycle riders who neglect basic safety precautions like wearing helmets. “The statistics speak for themselves, we have 44 young men who have died on our roads this year so far, who have not worn helmets, others who persons have run into them, others who did not take care of the pillion rider male or female.”
(Road deaths in 2023 cost economy $750M– Minister Benn)
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