THERE is a hard truth that Guyana must now confront: tougher fines and louder warnings alone will not fix our roadways.

Discipline, accountability, and consistency in enforcement are what ultimately save lives. The government’s latest move, announced by Attorney General Anil Nandlall to establish a centralised digital registry of drivers, is therefore not just another policy proposal.

It is a necessary step towards correcting a system that, for too long, has allowed repeat offenders to slip through the cracks.

For years, Guyanese have watched a troubling pattern unfold. Serious accidents dominate headlines, lives are lost, outrage follows and then, inevitably, the cycle repeats.

The statistics are sobering: more than 30 deaths already this year, many linked to speeding. Behind each number is a family shattered, a community grieving, and a question that refuses to go away: could this have been prevented?

The proposed digital registry offers a practical answer.

By consolidating a driver’s full history, licensing details, prior offences, and convictions, into a system accessible by law enforcement, the judiciary, and other state agencies, the country moves closer to real accountability.

No longer would a habitual offender be treated as a first-time violator simply because records are fragmented or inaccessible.

In principle, this is how modern enforcement should function.

President, Dr Irfaan Ali is right to frame this initiative within a broader push for national discipline.

A society cannot progress if its rules are treated as optional. Road safety is not a minor administrative issue; it is a public-health crisis and a test of governance.

When drivers ignore speed limits, seatbelt laws, or basic courtesy, the consequences extend far beyond the individual — they endanger everyone.

Still, while the registry is promising, it is not a silver bullet. Technology can strengthen enforcement, but it cannot replace a culture of responsibility.

The rollout of the Safe Road Intelligent System (SRIS), with its network of smart cameras, has already shown that digital tools can improve compliance.

Yet even with more than 1,000 cameras in operation and a reported 26 per cent decline in accidents, fatalities persist.

This tells us something important: enforcement mechanisms must be paired with behavioural change.

The government’s parallel efforts: stricter penalties, expanded ticketable offences, and the removal of judicial discretion for serious violations such as driving under the influence, signal a willingness to go further.

Mandatory penalties may be controversial, but they reflect a growing impatience with leniency in cases where lives are at stake.

When reckless driving leads to death, as in the recent tragedy on the West Coast of Demerara, justice must be firm and unambiguous.

However, there are legitimate concerns that must not be ignored. A centralised database of citizens’ driving histories raises questions about data security, privacy, and potential misuse.

Safeguards must be clearly defined, transparently communicated, and rigorously enforced.

Public trust will be critical to the success of this initiative, and that trust cannot be assumed, it must be earned.

Moreover, enforcement must remain fair and consistent. The credibility of any system depends on the perception that it applies equally to all, regardless of status or influence.

If the registry becomes a tool that targets some while sparing others, it will fail in its core mission.

Ultimately, the success of these reforms will depend not only on legislation or technology, but on a collective shift in mindset.

Laws can compel compliance, but they cannot create conscience. That responsibility lies with each driver who gets behind the wheel.

Guyana stands at a crossroads. The tools to build safer roads are now within reach, digital tracking, smarter enforcement, stronger laws.

But tools alone do not change outcomes. What will make the difference is whether we, as a society, are willing to accept that road safety is not someone else’s responsibility — it is ours.

If this new initiative achieves nothing else, it should send a clear message: the era of impunity on our roads must come to an end.