THIS year has started on a bad note with respect to road accidents and fatalities with 14 deaths reported up to yesterday compared to 12 for the same period last year. Traffic Chief Neil Semple said alcohol consumption, speeding and inattentiveness are the leading contributors to road fatalities so far, this year. This is in keeping with the trend  last year when two of the major factors for accidents and fatalities were drunk driving and speeding.
It is clear therefore that the Traffic Department has to crack down more firmly on drunk driving and speeding.
More errant drivers have to be nabbed and placed before the courts which should not hesitate to impose the maximum penalties to drive home the zero tolerance message pertaining to serious traffic offences.
There cannot be any compromise with respect to these offences because the roads are daily becoming busier  as the number of vehicles increase – the usual trend when living standards rise and there is economic growth and development.
However, on a long-term basis, the licensing system and procedures need to be reviewed, because it would appear that there are too many motorists who do not have the requisite skills and experience to be driving but yet are licensed to do so, especially those driving mini-buses and trucks.
With respect to mini-buses, we are sure that a survey will find that many of them do not have the required number of years of driving experience required to become eligible for a mini-bus licence. So how did they obtain their licences?
The answer to that should be as simple as it would be for anyone asking how come so many other drivers seem to be just plain ignorant of even the most basic of traffic rules. A casual check would reveal that they simply do not know when, where or how to stop at corners, for example.
The result is that there are many drivers who should not be on the roads. Add this to the problem of irresponsible driving, driving under the influence and speeding and the probability of serious accidents and fatalities increase significantly.
While most driving courses focus on raw driving skills, these do not pay equal attention to issues such as attitude and being responsible as a driver, which are equally important in ensuring the quality of drivers required to make the roads safer.
It would, therefore, be useful if driving courses could also imbue would-be drivers with the requisite sense of responsibility and the correct attitude.
Tougher laws and penalties, stricter enforcement and more police patrols, among measures, are absolutely essential to reducing road accidents.
The rate of road accidents and fatalities in this country is far too high for such a small population.
It is amazing that Guyana far outstrips with road accidents and fatalities, on a per capita basis, many countries with much bigger populations and more vehicles.
Guyana is already critically short of human resources and if the authorities do not work assiduously towards curbing this preventable and senseless human carnage, it will suffer more.
Kenyan expert, Dr. Josphat K. Z. Mwatelah, said road traffic accidents have been recognised as one of those adverse elements which contribute to the suffocation of economic growth in developing countries, due to the high cost related to them, hence causing social and economic concern.
The fight has to be taken to those who blatantly ignore safe driving rules and this also calls for a comprehensive and sustained public education programme using the mass media and other communication channels.