IN recent times, there has been a number of road accidents, many of them fatal, which left many families grieving for their loved ones.

It is against this background that Clarke’s Productions Inc., in collaboration with Jaric Environment Safety and Health Services Ltd., Caribbean Heavy Equipment Educational Center, and Together We Win Business Network, will be hosting a symposium on September 20 & 21 2023, with the theme “STOP THE ZOOMING”.

According to training coordinator, Adrian Clarke, “We hope to bring together several young persons for a youth forum and panel discussion on how to deal with specific issues that affect young road users. Research by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that the vast majority of the victims of traffic accidents are young people. A report released by the United Nations, under the title ‘Youth and Road Safety’ indicated that traffic accidents annually result in the loss of nearly 400,000 lives of young people under the age of 25 years, along with hundreds of thousands of injured and disabled.”

He added that the symposium aims at providing a forum for constructive dialogue. “We will also examine issues that concern road safety in Guyana and the Caribbean Region, identifying solutions that can be implemented to reduce the carnage on our roads,” he said.

Speakers scheduled for the event are from the International Road Federation (IRF), Certified OSHA companies, etc. Participants will benefit from high-impact presentations from local, regional, and international road safety professionals, making the conference a most beneficial and educational experience.

Clarke’s Production and commitment to road safety
Clarke’s Production is, according to the coordinator, a registered company with the necessary prerequisites to training several persons in what they call “Defensive Driving”. The programme aims to enhance all road users with the necessary skills and coping mechanisms to avoid fatal road accidents.

As we hear in this testimonial from one successful student, it is a course well needed to reduce carnage on our roadways.

“My journey toward being a defensive driver begins now. Driving defensively is driving to save lives, time, and money, regardless of the surrounding conditions and the conduct of others.
Being a defensive driver is a matter of personal life choice that I believe everyone should incorporate into their daily routine as they utilise the road. In this course, I was able to understand the common hazards in the driving environment, how to prevent collisions, the dangers of impaired driving, and the 6 common errors when driving, to name a few.

I’ve realised that, as an emerging developing economy, when it comes to driving, our culture and attitudes must change, and we should adopt various defensive driving behaviours by taking all possible precautions to avoid collisions and accidents.

We need to always keep in mind that an accident impacts not only you (the driver) but also the people around you and the other person’s loved ones. A lot of people believe that having a licence or driving for 10, 20, or 30 years makes them defensive drivers, but it does not; in fact, it just means you are an experienced driver who lacks key fundamental principles in defensive driving, and I believe that other drivers, especially those who cater to public transportation or companies with drivers, should invest in their staff to experience the training session I encountered today.

After finishing this course with Clarke’s Productions Inc., I can confidently declare that I possess the fundamental knowledge and abilities that will assist me in being a defensive driver.
Nonetheless, I must say the entire session was engaging, informative, hands-on, etc. All thanks to the team at Clarke’s Productions Inc.” Pilay Todd noted in his testimonial.