An outlaw breed of drivers is fast becoming the new norm on our country’s
roadways.
They are also reckless, dangerous and intimidating. They make
mindless and liberal contributions to the statistics on road fatalities,
with injury, death, property damage and wailing, broken-hearted loved ones
in the backdrop.

They drive at breakneck speeds, indulge in reckless lane violations, run red lights and stop signs, become distracted by their mobile phones, drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs and are often impatient and inconsiderate.
According to statistics from the Police Traffic Department, the most prevalent
cases for the years 2015-2017 show that speeding tops the list with DUI, breach
of traffic light signals, and being an unlicensed driver among the other foremost incidents.
In 2015, there were 126 road fatalities, 128 in 2016, and 35 in the
first quarter of 2017. With a population that is under a million, the country can ill afford to lose about 130 persons in traffic fatalities each year.
The recklessness being seen on our roads has brought into question the role and effectiveness of the various agencies involved in road safety. These agencies are primarily engaged in traffic education and/or enforcement.
The law enforcement efforts tend to gather speed via campaigns but it is the
considered view of informed observers that such determined attempts must be sustained and systematically conducted. Often one sees a motorist who has been pulled over for some breach, making a mobile phone call and usually it is to someone who “can help” by interceding and thwarting the course of justice.

The police must take a strong stand and summon the will and determination to outlaw such conduct. Offenders, regardless of their station in life and contacts, should all face the full force of the law. There must be no untouchables; not even VIPs must be exempt.
It is also essential that an adequately researched and technically up-to-date
programme of traffic engineering be launched. Traffic engineering is that
branch of civil engineering that utilises engineering techniques to achieve the
safe and efficient movement of people and goods on roadways.

It focuses mainly on research for safe and efficient traffic flow, such as road
geometry, sidewalks and crosswalks, cycling infrastructure, traffic signs, road
surface markings and traffic lights.

Recent media reports have indicated that Government has been responding
to calls by parents for improved road safety facilities along Woolford Avenue.
In that light, the construction of a pavement between Vlissengen Road and
Albert Street has been completed and it is expected to be extended, sooner
or later, to Camp Road, in order  to accommodate pedestrians and minimise
accidents. The avenue is frequently used by students of several schools and colleges, including the Government Technical Institute, North Ruimveldt Primary, Guyana Industrial Training Centre, St. Joseph’s High, North Georgetown Secondary, Critchlow Labour College and Texilla American University.

The Government has also announced its intention to construct three pedestrian
walkways at Houston, Peter’s Hall near the Demerara Harbour Bridge, and Eccles, in addition to a vehicle bypass at Diamond, all in the heavily populated East Bank Demerara corridor. The new overhead pedestrian crossings will have features which will enable the elderly and persons with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to use the bypasses.
Traffic officers cannot be everywhere at all times but in this age there is recourse to traffic  enforcement cameras that could be mounted beside or over a road or installed in an enforcement  vehicle to detect traffic regulation violations, such as speeding or  going through a red light.
It may also be linked to an automated ticketing system.
Media reports have noted that errant drivers have been captured on surveillance cameras in Georgetown but not much has been publicised on the effectiveness of this technology in ramping up local enforcement efforts against rampage drivers.
Among our most vulnerable road users are pedestrians. Globally, more than 270,000 pedestrians lose their lives each year on the world’s roads.  Persons, including children, leave their homes on any given day but never return.
However, many pedestrians are non-fatally injured and are left with permanent disabilities, causing much suffering, grief and economic hardship. Improvements in the trauma care services at our hospitals will go a far way to provide the urgent treatment needed to save pedestrian lives and deal with other casualties on our roadways.
Another challenge for our traffic department is the growing number of bikers who brazenly ride without safety helmets, ignore red lights and speed limits, particularly a growing number of apparently ‘untouchable’ super bikers. Many of them can be seen on Sunday afternoons in the new trend of ‘opening throttles’ on their way to the Linden Highway.
Amidst all the factors taken into consideration in curbing the lawlessness on our roads, attitude is everything.    Attitudes towards the road environment and driving can impact driving behaviour.  Unfortunately, too many are displaying aggressive attitudes and behaviour when driving rather than use their vehicles in a socially-acceptable way.
The police are also facing worrisome incidents involving heartless hit-and-run
motorists, use of ‘blinding lights’, head-on collisions through reckless overtaking, booming noise-nuisance  music,  and use of defective vehicles.
Perhaps, it is time to implement a more vigorous demerit point system, adopted to local needs, and managed by a duly constituted autonomous, legal body. A major step forward was taken just yesterday with the significant and timely launching of the Guyana National Road Safety Action Plan 2017 – 2019. It details a number of ‘Success Indicators’, and a multi-stakeholder strategy, as everyone is urged to take a more active role to make our roadways safer and save “hundreds of lives”.
And highlighting our collective responsibility, Minister of Public Security Kemraj Ramjattan told the road safety forum that “We need more civilian appreciation and participation in the (road safety) process since there is sometimes an uncaring response from the public.”
He severely reprimanded persons who sit idly in vehicles, especially minibuses and taxis, and remain mum while the driver is speeding and driving recklessly, and they don’t even make a report at a police station.

In the South Ruimveldt community there are signboards displaying a message that is relevant to all motorists: SLOW DOWN; THIS IS A NEIGHBOURHOOD; NOT A RACETRACK.