I DECIDED to step a bit out of character this week and share a previously published Op-Ed I wrote a few years ago that I think is topical, given the recent spate of road fatalities and the ongoing discourse on road safety and dangerous driving in Guyana. The figures on road fatalities have been updated to reflect more recent numbers.

Often said in jest, is the casual saying that “If you can drive in Guyana, you can drive anywhere in the world,” and though this theory is yet to be proven, the connotations hold a serious undertone that reminds us that this is not something that Guyanese should be proud of. It stems from the assumption that the risks involved in driving in Guyana are so extreme that they prepare the driver for any roadway elsewhere in the world.

Guyana has been known for its high road fatality rate. As at March 24 2022, there had been 26 deaths by road accidents for the year already. Guyana has certainly seen its share of fatal accidents due to presumed recklessness, and countless calls for drivers to be more careful on the roadways have seemingly gone unheard.

While fatal accidents are the worst outcomes of the misuse of roadways, it is the actual misuse that remains the burning issue for drivers in Guyana. Statistics show that there is no shortage of charges by police of persons committing traffic offences- yet drivers continue to be callous on the road.

Though the task may seem simple, driving is, in fact, a complex action that requires significant use of several parts of the brain. While operating a vehicle, it often takes a load of brainpower to analyse, plan, make decisions and quick judgments at all points during the journey. One’s brain is also constantly at work in the area of visio-spatial perception (average) and other analytical tasks. For this reason, stern warnings are continually made against indulging in distractions such as using the phone to talk or text or other types of multi-tasking while driving. It is these seemingly harmless distractions, however, and the perceived ease of movement of the vehicle that drivers often take for granted just how technical driving is. It is also the late reaction of our brain, often brought about by these distractions, that leads to dangerous outcomes.

Danger also rears its ugly head every time drivers take other unnecessary risks, such as failing to utilise the required patience and/or breaking traffic rules. On an average journey, drivers can be seen taking countless risks and breaking numerous rules trying to get to their destinations, all in the name of shaving off a few minutes – or sometimes mere seconds – from the trip. And indeed, this is something that is not unique to Guyana, but somehow, the frequency with which you encounter ‘crazy drivers’ is so high here that one must wonder what is it that allows this behaviour to thrive?

Perhaps it is that, while there are penalties, they are not efficiently enforced, or when they are, they are not stringent enough. If the fine for breaking a minor traffic law were an exorbitant sum, this could serve as a deterrent for drivers. An offence as minor as driving without a tail light could incur hundreds of US dollars in larger countries. Systems are also in place to revoke licences through a strict points-based system. Drivers are therefore made to keep in line due to little to no room for error on the roadways. In Guyana, there are countless vehicles with one or no tail lights working, and little or no penalty is incurred for such offences. Though seemingly not connected to the larger problem of road fatalities and other misdemeanours, it is such minor oversights that create a gateway for more significant violations to occur.

Somehow, the gravity of driving does not connect with the average driver. Every time you step into a vehicle, you put your life and the life of others at serious risk. It is for this reason that rules are in place. But if these rules are not adequately enforced due to a lax system, and if you fail to place enough attention to the task itself, the consequences can be dire. Moreover, if drivers are allowed to skip pertinent steps before becoming a driver-such as acquiring false documents or bypassing parts of the licensing process as is rumoured to be a regular occurrence in Guyana – these events could put many unqualified persons behind the wheel as well. Therefore, such persons would not learn important techniques needed to operate vehicles and thus fail to build respect and knowledge for the rules of the road.

Not all accidents can be avoided, but there are too many that occur that could have been. Driving can become routine, but what persons fail to realise is that while many routes we take may be the same, the situation never is. As such, vigilance must be taken on the part of both authorities and drivers; the 5 Cs must become a mantra; and the value for human life must be a top priority when getting behind the wheel.

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