TRAFFIC Chief Dion Moore said yesterday that the Guyana Police Force was seeking partnerships to have ‘cat eyes’ (coloured reflectors) installed on the roadways to keep drivers in their respective lanes.

The first joint initiative took place last Sunday morning on Carifesta Avenue from Camp Road to Pump Road (J.B. Singh Road), where “cat eyes” in the colour of white, yellow, red, and blue reflectors were installed on the roadway.

GuyCo Construction Company and the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department partnered in this initiative, which saw the inner and the two outer lanes equipped with “cat eyes” (reflectors). These brightly reflect light at nights.

Moore told this newspaper that the cat eyes serve as a guide to drivers to stay in their own lanes and to maintain course while using the carriageways.

He said the Police Traffic Department was hoping for other such partnerships to have more “cat eyes” installed on the roads countrywide.

The Traffic Chief said the Force would, however, be working with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure in this endeavour, but at the same time, it welcomes all stakeholders.

There have been no fatalities in the new year. However, Moore disclosed that in 2015, speeding, drunk driving and inattentiveness (use of cell phone/texting) were the leading contributors to fatalities and road accidents.

Giving statistics, he said that in 2015, some 126 deaths were recorded from 106 road accidents; while for the corresponding period in 2014, some 146 deaths have been recorded from 135 accidents.

In 2015, fifteen children were killed on the roadways, while, in 2014, sixteen children met the same fate.

Moore disclosed that in 2015, some 336 serious accidents were recorded, while, in 2014, some 351 had been recorded. As for minor accidents, Moore said, the GPF Traffic Department recorded 425 in 2015 and 441 in 2014.

Pedestrians topped the list of fatalities, with 42 in 2015 and 60 in 2014. Also, 11 pedal cyclists were killed in 2015 while 20 were killed in 2014. Ten motor cyclists also lost their lives on the roads in 2015, whereas the figure in 2014 was 26.

Moore said that 21 drivers were killed in 2015, and 16 in in 2014.