THE Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF), launched National Road Safety Month at Muneshwar’s Car Park in Water Street, Georgetown.

GNRSC Chairman, Mr. Nigel Erskine told the gathering that an entire month of activities was planned since “we all use the roads” to get to our respective destinations.
He, however, noted that the roads network in Guyana is becoming dangerous and very complex, in which many accidents resulting in fatalities are recorded on a daily basis.
Erskine reported that, worldwide, 1.3 million people are killed on the roads every day and 50 million are injured.
He said, while fatal accidents are inevitable, at the same time, they can be avoidable if persons exercise the basic road safety measures.
Quoting the fatality figures for this year, as compared to last year, Erskine stated that 2012 recorded 90 deaths from 83 accidents and for the corresponding period in 2011, there were 98 deaths from 90 accidents. In the two years, 17 children were killed on the roadways.

Signed on
He said the GNRSC has since signed on to the ‘Decade of Action for Road safety 2011-2020’ where it is expected that there will be a 50 percent reduction in fatalities by 2020 and, as such, they have partnered with various agencies to put systems in place for achieving the target.
Erskine said it is GNRSC’s aim to reduce road accidents and fatalities in which a safe transportation system is realised and he urged all road users, especially drivers, to have their vehicles inspected for road worthiness etc.
The GNRSC Chairman also called on passengers using public transport to speak out and report, to the police, when they observe drivers breaking the laws.
He announced that they are embarking on a number of actions which include driver/owner seminars in the three counties, public awareness programme on television, a crash victim’s remembrance march and a mini symposium for schools, as well as an outreach countrywide.
Erskine encouraged all road users to be more active and play their part and accept the global theme which is ‘Road safety is everybody’s business.’
Speaking on behalf of the GPF, the Traffic Officer, Assistant Commissioner Brian Joseph admonished young people in the audience to desist from driving and texting and talking on their cellular phones since it is an unsafe practice which can result in the loss of life (lives).
He said it is commonly observed that many persons are walking on the road using their phones to chat and text and not paying attention while using the roadways.
The Traffic Chief said the GPF recognises that speeding is one of the main contributors to fatalities and the Traffic Department made 12,000 related cases this year.
Joseph said, too, that drivers are careless and need to adopt simple road safety methods and promote a better behaviour on the roads.
He indicated that the GPF will be promoting education, enforcement and environment in recognition of national road safety month, and called on drivers to be courteous to each other on the roadways to reduce fatalities and property damages.

Defensive driving
Making remarks at the forum, as well, was Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Representative Adrianus Vluyman, who encouraged drivers to do more defensive driving to reduce fatalities.
He pointed out that pedestrians and motorists are most vulnerable and urged all drivers to desist from drinking and driving.
Yesterday’s event was also attended by medical personnel, students from different schools, and saw the performance of two skits promoting road safety and prayers recited by schoolchildren.
Marketing Manager of Scotiabank Jennifer Cipriani handed over a cheque for $322,000 to GNRSC Chairman Erskine, for the promotion of road safety awareness projects through the bank’s ‘Bright Future programme’.