by Francis Quamina Farrier

WE have just entered the second half of 2017, and I have decided to do this feature about the current traffic situation which impacts the lives of all of us. This article is about the way we have used our roads during the first half of 2017, and the report of the Police Traffic Division as regards life and death on the Roads of Guyana.

First, let’s focus on the good news: there have been less road fatalities during the first half of 2017, than was the case during the corresponding period of the year 2016. The year

2017 recorded 50 road fatalities in the first six months in comparison to 67 for the same period last year.  This is a  25 percent reduction. However, while that is encouraging news, it is certainly poor consolation to those who have lost a loved one. Especially if that loved one was the breadwinner of the family.

What is of note, is that the majority of victims of fatal traffic accidents, have been relatively young people. Quite a high number of young motor cyclists, for example, died when they lost control of their motor cycles and crashed. There were also young drivers of motor cars who, while speeding, or driving under the influence, crashed, resulting in their deaths, and in some cases, the deaths of others in the vehicle.

Recently, I had an exclusive interview with Traffic Chief, Superintendent Dion Moore, at Traffic Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown. He expressed the view that, “the attitude of drivers is the one big challenge”, which is the root cause of many accidents.

“Speeding is a big problem as well”, Superintendent Moore said, adding that too many drivers get behind the wheel after imbibing. He pointed out, however, that there is a welcome behaviour by some drivers who go to enjoy themselves at the creeks along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway and other Recreation venues. While the men do the driving going to the creeks, and drink while there, the women (who would not have been drinking), would do the driving on the return journey. That practice, the Traffic Chief feels, should be encouraged. “People going to places where there is drinking, should appoint a designated driver, or leave their cars there and take a taxi home,” the Traffic Chief recommends.

He also gave the example of the arrangement by the Traffic Division, to escort groups of motorists who attend the Motor Racing Events at the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri, from that location into the city. That has resulted in zero accidents since its inception. The Traffic Chief also expressed his gratitude to the many organisations and business enterprises that have been very supportive of the work of the Police Traffic Division; the various Road Safety Councils, for example.

Just before I submitted this article, I was fortunate to meet, unexpectedly, with retired Traffic Chief Neil Semple, whom I had interviewed many times during his term in office, and so I posed a few questions to him. “There needs to be more discipline on the roads. There is also need for sustained Road Safety Programmes such as more Traffic Safety Drills at Schools,” he said.  The retired Traffic Chief was loud in his praise for his successor, Superintendent Moore, who he said was a student of his.

Finally, my investigation for materials for this feature, took me to the Brickdam Police Station Traffic Division. I needed to know why it is that so few vehicles have the “L” Learner Driver tags, especially bearing in mind that there are so many more drivers and vehicles on our roads, than ever before. The reason was simple. “In the old days, relatives and friends tutored others to drive,” the officer told me. “Today, there are many Driving Schools, and that is the reason for the reduction of the many “L” Learner Driver tags”. As the saying goes, “Dis time nah lang time.”

Superintendent Moore also spoke of the Traffic Division’s Operation Safeway, which will come into operation on September 15 this year. That project will target those errant road users who continue to drive in a reckless way. He hopes to continue to record less and less fatal road accidents in our dear land of Guyana. Fifty dead during the first half of 2017; were any of them known to you?  Let’s keep death off the Roads. Let’s enjoy the ‘Good Life’ as best as we can.