FRIDAY night’s fatal accident on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway again reignited calls for our road users to slow down or stop the speeding. Most of the accidents that occurred on that particular highway have resulted in multiple fatalities.

And true to what has become the trend, Commander of ‘E’ Division, Senior Superintendent Fazil Karimbaskh, has informed us that speeding was the main cause of the accident that claimed the lives of three

There is no denying that the Police Traffic Department is trying in managing road users. But there comes a time when interventionist approaches must be taken to stem what is evidently a disturbing trend. Accidents don’t happen, they are caused and in aiming for reduction, and possible elimination, the cause (s) must be addressed.

Only last week, we were informed that the number of road traffic accidents in Guyana has declined by 26 percent in the first six months of this year as compared to the same period last year, according to Traffic Chief of the Guyana Police Force, Dion Moore.
Moore, in an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI,) said that the force recorded 824 traffic accidents in the first six months in 2017, compared to the 1,120 that were recorded for the same period last year.
He said that, of the 824 traffic accidents recorded so far for this year, 168 were serious, 240 were minor and 48 were fatal resulting in 51 deaths, of which one was a child. Of the 1,120 accidents recorded for the same period in 2016, 180 were serious, 295 were minor and 65 were fatal, which resulted in 64 deaths, of which four were children.
It is of no comfort to any society to be losing its most vital resource — i.e. its people — through avoidable occurrences. Road accidents can be avoided and therefore must be avoided.  The traffic department is not the only means to achieve this. The time has come for bold, decisive action to curb accidents.
The penalty attached to this offence must be strengthened with the goal of making it avoidable. This means that our traffic laws must be accordingly amended. At the same time, it may be useful to address having violators do community service, immediately after conviction. This can take many forms, including cleaning the streets and sharing the experiences that led to the accident. The admonition by our elders that ‘those who can’t hear will feel,’ must inform penalty.
The traffic infrastructure, i.e. the signals (lights and signage), along with sidewalks must be revisited. This must be done to ensure that signals are working. The pedestrian crossing and other signs must be visible for all to see. In relation to our roads, for far too long they are being dangerously constructed, meaning that they are without sidewalks and the shoulders not properly tapered.
The absence of sidewalks, where needed, not only puts the lives of pedestrians at risk, but some motorists see this category of road users as a nuisance or hindrance in allowing them to use the road as they feel. This statement of fact does not ignore that some pedestrians use the roads badly. These must stop.
Our road culture has become crude and selfish. The building and maintenance of roads have too fallen prey to this primitive outlook.  Contracts for building roads, be they main or secondary arteries must require, where possible, that sidewalks be built and the shoulders tapered. Our roads must also be constructed within a foundation and to specific standards in keeping with our climate, traffic types and volume, factoring in at least 20 years of planning.  Quick-fix or cosmetic measures in building and maintaining our roads must no longer be acceptable.
The insurance companies must move to increase motor vehicle policies for those who are involved in accidents. The senseless use of our roads and less than acceptable construction must be addressed. Government must provide the judiciary and the Guyana Police Force needed resources to charge violators, sentence and fine them, have the traffic infrastructures modernised, visible and working.