…as minibus crashes into drinks truck

FIVE persons were confirmed dead following a horrific accident at Fairfield, Mahaicony on Wednesday.

The accident involved a truck bearing registration GPP 9433, which was heading to Berbice and a route 50 minibus, bearing registration BRR 5478, which was heading to Georgetown.
Dead are: Ewart Reynolds, 64, of Calcutta, Mahaicony; Alana Vaughn, a 28-year old medex of Farm, Mahaicony; Keon Sealey, a 33-year old anaesthetic nurse, who was also of Mahaicony; Maxwell Thom, 76, and Seechandal Chandilall, the driver of the bus who lived at Bath Settlement, Berbice. They were pronounced dead on arrival at the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital.

Those injured were Cecil Gordon, 46, of Farm, Mahaicony; David Jacobs, 60, and Angela Jacobs, 15, both of Moraikobai. The four, along with the driver of the truck, Sherlon Wills, were taken to Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where they were treated and later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation; their conditions are regarded as serious. The 15-year old Jacobs’ left hand was severed during the accident.
Vaughn, a mother of two, was in the 37th week of her pregnancy and she was heading to a clinic when she met her demise.

According to reports, at around 11:10hrs on Wednesday, the minibus was heading to Georgetown at a fast rate when it suffered a left, front-tyre blowout in the vicinity of the Fairfield Rice Mill.

The driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed head-on into the truck which was heading to Berbice to deliver a quantity of beers.

When this newspaper arrived at the scene, the police were attempting to control a large traffic build-up in the area while employees of the owner of the truck were clearing the roadway of broken bottles.

At the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, the scene was filled with loud screams and anger as relatives of the deceased converged at the medical institution to get a glimpse of the remains of their loved ones. Vaughn’s husband was at a loss for words as relatives consoled him.

His sister described Vaughn as a “loving and caring” person who was liked by her peers. Reports are that she was on her way to a clinic at Highdam when the accident occurred.
Reynolds’ brother was consoling another relative when he spoke to reporters. He said that around this time some years ago, he lost another brother and as such, his brother’s death on Wednesday came as a blow to the family.
Police are investigating the accident.

SPEEDING
Wednesday’s deadly accident comes amid a national outcry against reckless road use and the need for motorists to stop their speeding. Only on Tuesday Police Commissioner, Leslie James, said a change in attitude of motorists in the way they use the road is foremost for a reduction of carnage on the roadways. “We would like to see a change in the attitude of motorists in the way in which they use the roads and you would have heard statements by the traffic chief speaking directly to the attitude of persons using the road; the way in which they would drive, the way in which they would use the road resulting in serious and fatalities,” Commissioner James stated.

Errant motorists, he said, are dealt with fully by the law when caught.
“The law as it is today and penalties and so on like fines being given to persons who are found driving dangerously and even to the case where persons are incarcerated following a fatal accident being charged with causing death by dangerous driving, I think it’s sufficient at this present time,” he noted.

Last weekend, the commissioners and his deputies met with the traffic chief and traffic officers from all the divisions to look at how they can effectively address reckless use of the road by motorists. That meeting saw the birth of Operation Safe Roads.
Operation Safe Roads has since resulted in the police apprehending a number of motorists for various offences. Some have been charged and others ticketed. Commissioner James also urged reporters to spread the road safety message. “But I would ask that you the journalists play a role to appeal to the users of the roads in the way in which they are doing at this present moment,” he said.

He further stated that a number of persons have been complaining about the stops which police have been conducting and noted that all will be done to ensure safety on the roadways. President David Granger, last month, described as “insane” the increase of road accidents. Speeding and alcohol were the main factors which led to 21 persons being killed in November.

There is a fix, according to the President; the police force, road safety bodies, civil societies and others will have to play a role to make the roads safer. President Granger made it clear that he is distressed by the deaths, disabilities and injuries and damage to property caused by accidents on the roads.

According to the President, road accidents represent a threat to human safety. “Every accident is one too many; every death is too great a loss that our country cannot afford. The record is grave: Young persons between the ages of 16 and 42 years comprised more than three out of every five fatalities.”

According to President Granger, he had proposed a three-point approach to road safety in an address at the launch of Road Safety Month, on the 4th of November 2015. The three-point approach involved more stringent enforcement of the traffic laws, including those driving under the influence of alcohol; playing distracting music and the use of cellular phones while driving.

According to the President, stricter enforcement will help to promote greater safety on the roads with regular and rigorous patrols of notorious, high-risk zones conducted during daylight and at night.

He noted that speed limits and limitations on the lawful complement of cargo and passengers by commercial and public transportation vehicles, must be established. The Head of State also called for greater road safety education through a systematic and sustained countrywide campaign to be conducted.