FATAL accidents have been rapidly rising, Traffic Chief Hugh Denhert told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday. He said the recorded number so far for this year has topped the 2012 January-to-May period.
There have been 43 fatal accidents so far for this year, and most have involved motor cyclists and pedestrians. He said

that most accidents result from careless use of the roads, with pedestrians ignoring traffic rules and using the roads haphazardly; riders of motorised and pedal cycles not adhering to road regulations; and passengers exiting minibuses failing to wait until those buses have moved on before crossing the road.
He said that some pedestrians would blindly use the road while texting on their cell phones, “And they (pedestrians) are the most vulnerable road users, so they should exercise caution.”
Most pedestrians crossing the road do not observe the road drill, Denhert said, stating that the drill is established not only for school children, but for everyone. “They should look right, look left, and look right again before they cross; but they don’t, and then the accidents make us, the police, look bad.”
He added that the Guyana Police Force is resolute on enforcing traffic laws, especially for those who drive under the influence of alcohol, breach traffic lights, and have a habit of speeding. “We need road users to change their attitudes” he declared.
He said the increased number of vehicles in Guyana has also contributed to the accidents on the roadways, because there is little space to accommodate this rise in vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Pedestrians, motor cyclists and pedal cyclists all contend for space on these roadways alongside heavier, motorized vehicles.
Chairman of the Guyana National Road Safety Council, Nigel Erskine, said in a press conference during Global Road Safety Week, that the country’s roadways should be designed with the safety of pedestrians in mind. According to him, there should be proper sidewalks and pedestrian crossings established.
He has urged the relevant authorities to enforce existing laws, and has urged citizens to exercise caution and be vigilant when using the roads. He has stated that the Council has been working with the Guyana Police Force in an education drive to reduce road fatalities in the country.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had estimated that 5000 pedestrians are killed on a weekly basis on roads around the world.