ACTING Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie, has reiterated to drivers to observe the five ‘Cs:- Care, Caution, Consideration, Commonsense and Courtesy.

Hoppie made this disclosure during the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Annual Trainees’ Christmas Luncheon on Friday.

He implored that persons should drink responsibly or have a designated driver.

“In November, as you would have learnt in the media, we had 15 accidents which resulted in 21 deaths, three of which were children. So, as we go down for the remainder of the year, we need to ensure that we be our brother’s keeper,” Hoppie said.

The Acting Police Commissioner said that if all drivers exercised diligence, while operating vehicles, and practise upholding the road regulations and laws, then the country’s roadways would not be claiming so many lives.

“While we conduct our business, we conduct a certain amount of responsibility, and in our use of the road, especially as drivers, we need to be cognizant of the five Cs,” he said.

President David Granger recently insisted that more must be done to prevent deaths, disabilities, injuries and damage to property on Guyana’s roadways as he finds “deeply distressing” the number persons who have lost their lives in road accidents recently and in the past.

The President’s three-point approach involved: more stringent enforcement of traffic laws including those proscribing driving under the influence of alcohol, playing distracting music and the use of cellular phones while driving.

The Head of State noted that stricter enforcement will help to promote greater safety on the roads; regular and rigorous patrols of notorious, high-risk zones must be conducted during daylight and at night; speed limits and limitations on the lawful complement of cargo and passengers by commercial and public transportation vehicles must be established.

He believes too that the drivers’ licencing process must be strengthened to ensure that only competent and responsible persons are certified to drive vehicles, especially passenger vehicles, on roadways.