SPEEDING, drunk driving and wet conditions as a result of the rainy weather contributed to the weekend fatalities in which two young men were killed in Berbice, Traffic Chief Ian Amsterdam said yesterday.

He said that these fatalities also resulted from a lack of enforcement in that area but notably the young men were all intoxicated and had gone bar hopping.

Amsterdam stated that on that particular stretch of road at Borlam Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice, he had advised the authorities to erect signs at the turn as a warning of the ‘sharp turn’ so drivers can pay heed.

He said that accident happened at about 22:20 hrs on Sunday when Affie Jafar Ramaya, 24, of  Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant, Corentyne, was allegedly driving a motor car at a fast rate along Alness Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with  a donkey and a parked motor lorry .

As a result, of the collision, Ramaya and the three other occupants of the vehicle received injuries and were taken to Port Mourant Hospital where Ramaya was pronounced dead on arrival. The other three persons were admitted to hospital.

The senior traffic officer explained that the driver struck the donkey which died on the spot and then crashed into the rear of a parked truck.

The Traffic Chief said as for the motorist he was reportedly under the influence and lost control while negotiating the Borlam turn.

It occurred at about 23:30 hrs on Sunday also at Borlam Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice, resulting in the death of Kelvin Balgobin, 29, of Williamsburg Squatting Area, Corentyne.

Balgobin was driving a motor cycle along the roadway when he lost control of the bike and collided with a utility pole. As a result he received injuries and was taken to Port Mourant Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Amsterdam told this publication that so far they have tallied 46 deaths from 36 road accidents this year, while for the corresponding period in 2014 they recorded 48 deaths from 45 road accidents.
He added that they have had a decrease of 4.1% in deaths this year as compared to last year for this period registered 173 serious accidents in 2014 while they have 136 for this year with a decrease of 21.3%.
Amsterdam stated that as it relates to minor accidents they had 196 in 2014 while they recorded 183 this year with a 7% decrease.
He said that from January to date, 16 pedestrians were killed in fatal accidents while passengers in cars amounted to 10; eight drivers; four motorists; three passengers in minibuses; and four pedal cyclists, were all killed in accidents this year.
Amsterdam told this newspaper that they are focusing their enforcement efforts particularly in ‘B’ and ‘C’ Divisions which recorded the most fatalities with ‘B’ Division with a 250% increase in deaths while ‘C’ Division tallied a 100% increase.
By Michel Outridge