MORE than 15,000 speeding violations have been captured by the Safe Road Intelligence System (SRIS) since it went live on April 7, 2025, a dramatic signal that Guyanese drivers continue to disregard speed limits even as fatal accidents rise, Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh said on Friday.
Speaking at the Police Force’s launch of its Christmas Policing Plan last week, Singh said the SRIS, supported by 26 operational camera sites, has become one of the most important tools in modern traffic enforcement.
“Some of the speeds recorded were as much as 180 km/h…The only thing left for some of them is pulling airship and raising the vehicle upwards,” he said.
The Traffic Chief reported that so far, 32,708 speeding tickets have been issued for 2025, with nearly half generated through the automated camera system. In total, 47,601 traffic tickets were issued for various offences this year.
“This is not by chance; this is because of the systems put in place,” Singh said, referencing SRIS, Safe City cameras, regional command centres and increased fixed and roving patrols.
He noted that technology has reduced confrontations between drivers and police ranks, while increasing transparency and accuracy.
“The utilisation of summonses reduces the ability of the traffic rank to become confrontational,” he explained.
Singh also linked the rise in speeding to the rapid increase in vehicles entering Guyana’s roads, almost triple the number registered between 2020 and 2025 compared to the entire period from 2015 to 2019.
He said the SRIS and CCTV network are essential to managing that influx.
“These cameras help us see what is happening on the road in real time,” Singh said. “It allows us to refine the services we are delivering to achieve greater efficiency.”
The Traffic Chief said enforcement will be stepped up during the intense holiday period, pointing out that the system has helped generate over 200 cases weekly, especially for parking and obstruction.
“Our intention is to minimise accidents through visibility, partnership, awareness and enforcement…Personal responsibility starts with the road user.”