-police to wear bodycams, crack down on illegal sirens, flashing lights

IN recent months, the nation has witnessed a surge in road accidents leading to significant loss of lives and damage to public infrastructure. As such, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has issued a stern warning to reckless drivers, vowing to tackle the “lawlessness” on Guyana’s roadways with immediate and robust measures.

“We cannot continue the carnage on our roads. We cannot continue the lawlessness on our roads,” President Ali announced in a live broadcast on Thursday with Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, SC, and senior officials of the Guyana Police Force.

The meeting, convened in response to an alarming rise in road accidents and traffic violations, centred on three key issues: reckless driving, drunk driving, and the illegal use of sirens and emergency lights.

Grim statistics have found that 44 young men have lost their lives in vehicular accidents on Guyana’s roadways for 2024.

The majority of these fatal accidents involve individuals aged 18 to 35, underscoring the vulnerability of the younger population. Last year, alone road accidents cost the country over $700 million.

As such, President Ali expressed frustration at the state of road discipline, particularly among truck drivers, noting that only 18 drivers’ licences had been suspended this year despite frequent reports of dangerous driving.

“We cannot continue to have this type of indiscipline on our roadways, especially with the trucks and truck drivers,” he stated firmly.

According to reports, in 2024, Guyana has witnessed a significant increase in truck-related accidents, with 205 incidents reported from January to August, marking a 30 per cent rise compared to the previous year.

Among these, 18 fatalities occurred, up from 15 in the same timeframe in 2023.
The majority of these accidents (over 70 per cent) are attributed to speeding. The most recent accident involved electrical contractor Carlton Smartt, who was killed while jogging by speeding sand trucks. The accident occurred on November 20, at the intersection of Sheriff and Dennis Streets, Georgetown and resulted in damage to several other vehicles.

CRACKING DOWN ON RECKLESS DRIVERS

President Ali directed the Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh, and Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, to ensure full enforcement of traffic laws.

Highlighting the importance of technology, President Ali called for the use of body cameras and CCTV to identify and penalise reckless drivers.

“I’ve asked that cameras, CCTV cameras [be used] help us to identify these errant drivers, these lawless drivers who obviously have no regard for their own lives, but put in danger lives of others,” the President said.

Traffic Chief Singh had previously reported that GPF had intensified its efforts this year, issuing nearly 60,000 traffic tickets and collecting an unprecedented $400 million in fines.

Over 47,000 of these tickets were related to speeding, accounting for around $280 million of the total revenue.

The President highlighted the government’s investment in traffic cameras along the Heroes Highway, which has already issued 893 speeding tickets this year.

Authorities will now examine the records of repeat offenders to take legal action, including licence suspensions.

Drunk driving, another leading cause of fatalities, was also a major focus.

President Ali reminded officials of the recent law holding bar owners responsible for serving alcohol to drivers.

He instructed the police to ensure that bars display mandatory signage outlining this regulation and suggested further legislative changes to suspend bar licences for non-compliance.
“We cannot continue the carnage on our roads…We cannot continue the lawlessness on our roads. We cannot allow bar owners to ignore their responsibility in this matter,” he reiterated.

ILLEGAL USE OF SIRENS AND EMERGENCY LIGHTS

Illegal sirens and emergency lights, often misused by private individuals, also came under scrutiny.

The President directed the Attorney General to amend the laws, imposing hefty fines and licence suspensions for violators.

He also ordered the GPF to crack down on shops and individuals selling or installing these devices.

“This abuse must stop immediately,” President Ali said, expressing concern over the widespread use of these devices without proper authorisation.

Meanwhile, the commissioner of police pledged the full support of the police force, promising increased visibility and stricter enforcement of traffic laws.
“Drivers, you’re going to see us. We’re going to be working with you,” he said.
President Ali appealed to all road users, particularly operators of public transport and heavy-duty vehicles, to follow the law.

He stressed that ensuring safety on the roads is not just the government’s responsibility but also that of every citizen.

“The lives of every Guyanese matter,” President Ali said. “This is about protecting each other, about ensuring that everyone gets home safely.”

Attorney General Nandlall said that stronger laws and amendments to existing regulations are vital to combatting road lawlessness.

He supported the President’s call for a comprehensive crackdown and highlighted the need to address gaps in enforcement and compliance.

“The legal framework must support the Police Force in holding violators accountable. We must impose heavier fines, enforce stricter penalties, and ensure that the message is sent—lawlessness on our roads will no longer be tolerated,” Nandlall said.
He also assured that amendments to address the illegal use of sirens and emergency lights are being fast-tracked to empower the police in tackling these offences.

The National Assembly had passed a regulatory framework for the use of electric bikes. It will address the alarming increase in road fatalities and incidents involving electric bikes.

In November 2022, the National Assembly passed the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2022 to promote and enforce safe driving and stiffer fines.

The bill introduced the offence of motor manslaughter, whereby a person causes the death of another by driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of a drink or drug to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the vehicle.
The government has also implemented the Safe Road Intelligent System (SRIS) to enhance safety and decrease accidents.