MINIBUS driver Orwin Sagon of Prospect, East Bank Demerara appeared on Friday before City Magistrate Faith McGusty to answer two traffic-related offences that stemmed from his crashing an overloaded minibus in Mandela Avenue, Georgetown a week ago.
One charge that the 25-year-old faces alleges that on November 25, at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, while being the driver of minibus # BNN 7545, he transported more that the amount of persons permitted to travel in a minibus.
The court heard that the minibus had more than 25 passengers, whereas no more than 15 persons are allowed to travel at any one time in a minibus.
The other charge Sagon faces alleges that he was driving the minibus on the said day in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby endangering his passengers’ lives.
He pleaded guilty to the first charge and was fined $10,000. However, he pleaded not guilty to the reckless driving charge and was granted $25,000 bail.
According to reports, on the day in question, Sagon, driving minibus BNN 7545 at a fast rate along Mandela Avenue, lost control of the vehicle and crashed it.
It was related to the court that Sagon could be dubbed a traffic hazard, since he has had past brushes of a similar nature with the law. He was also deemed a ‘regular’ at the city traffic court and at the Providence Magistrate’s Court, where he has been charged with traffic-related offences.
The court also heard that, in September 2014, he was badly injured when his minibus crashed into an electricity post because of his reckless driving. The minibus he was then driving was loaded with passengers, mostly schoolchildren.
The rate of road fatalities is said to be increasing in Guyana because motorists are failing to adhere to the traffic laws. Last October, the Guyana Police Force recorded an 18% increase in road fatalities, which is more than that recorded for the same period last year.
There was a reduction in serious and minor accidents, but an increase in damage accidents. Speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and inattentiveness continue to be the main causes of fatal accidents.
A total of 48,585 persons have thus far been charged with traffic offences for this year, the GPF has disclosed.
