POLICE Traffic Chief Mr. Neil Semple, noting that the rainy season continued yesterday, appealed to all road users to act responsibly and look out for pedestrians on the roadways, particularly as many of the thoroughfares are flooded. He said, due to the persistent rainfall, streets and roads are wet and pose some concern to the police and he exhorted drivers to desist from speeding in such conditions.
The Senior Superintendent said an accident is recorded almost every day and it is worrying.
Encouraging people to be extra careful and alert, he said: “With our roads water-logged, drivers need to act responsibly and display defensive driving although we continue to enforce road safety campaigns.”
Semple said the pavements in many parts of the city are inundated  and pedestrians are forced to walk on the roadways, making it compulsory for motorists to look out for them, especially schoolchildren and exercise some patience in allowing them to cross the roads.
He declared that there are too many instances of driving under the influence (DUI), in which persons consume alcohol above the prescribed limit and then continue to drive, causing road fatalities.
Semple stated that, apart from speeding, DUI is the second leading contributor to road fatalities in Guyana and it is a countrywide habit.
Alluding to the latest road fatality, he said Cecil Callendar, of Evan Phillips Park, Agricola, Greater Georgetown, was driving his car when he was killed in a collision with another car at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, on March 9.
Semple said the other driver was under the influence and lost control of his vehicle resulting in it colliding with Callendar’s.
On Monday, following investigations, Ravindra Sookram, 21, was charged with causing the death by dangerous driving.  He appeared before Magistrate Julie Latchmansingh at  Sparendaam Court and was ordered to post $2.5M bail until March 24.
Meanwhile, statistics from Traffic Headquarters, Eve Leary, have indicated that 24 deaths from 24 road accidents were recorded, for this year, so far, as compared to 20 deaths from 20 accidents for the same period in 2010. (Michel Outridge)