Traffic Chief Semple laments…
POLICE Traffic Chief Neil Semple reported, yesterday, that alcohol consumption, coupled with speeding and inattentiveness   are the leading contributors to road fatalities, so far, this year. He said 14 persons were killed in a similar number of road accidents, up to now, as compared to 12 persons dying in 12   accidents over the same period last year.
“We have had enough road fatalities this year. It is only February and so many people have lost their lives to callous   drivers,” the Senior Superintendent said.
He told the Guyana Chronicle that all road users need to act responsibly and not drink and drive.
Semple said the road accident at Pearl, on Sunday night, could have been avoided if the driver was sober.
Vishan Seeram, 21, of 5 Sarah Johanna, also on East Bank Demerara, died when the minibus in which he was travelling ran off   the road into a trench while negotiating a turn, a short distance from his home.
Seeram was with two others in the vehicle that was, allegedly, drag racing with another minibus.
Semple said the driver of the ill-fated vehicle acted callously and there could have been more fatalities from that   accident. He urged persons to drive defensively on the roads and avoid such mishaps, because fatalities have become a   regular feature, this year, resulting in a lot of damage to vehicles and injuries to persons.
In relation to the fatal accident at Ogle, in which Alwyn Andrew Hanover, 45, of Victoria, also on East Coast Demerara, was   the victim about 08:20hrs on February 1, Semple said it was raining and the surface was wet and the driver did not stop   when Hanover and a child, Michelle Joseph, seven-years-old, who was injured and is hospitalised, were attempting to cross   the road.
The Traffic Chief said the driver failed the breathalyser test because his alcohol level was over the prescribed limit and   he would be charged.
Semple added that the driver, being under the influence, was not alert to see the two persons on the road and apply brakes.
“The figures are worrying. A week ago, the fatalities were five and, this week, there were more,” he lamented.
Semple, however, said the Police can only do so much, through their television and school programmes and active road safety   campaigns, to educate road users.
He said he is hoping that their enforcement succeeds but continued to appeal to drivers to take heed of road safety rules   and help reduce the fatalities and accidents in general.
Two cyclists, David Flue, 34, of Lot 54 Graham Street, Plaisance, another East Coast Demerara village and Chandradat   Dhanraj, 61, of Number Nine, West Coast Berbice, were killed on Sunday in separate road accidents.
Lance Corporal of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Vijai Singh, 27, of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, succumbed to injuries   he suffered when the CBR motorcycle he was riding collided with another vehicle on Saturday night.