As visitors to the Caribbean, many of us drive on its roads for the convenience of travel while we vacation, or spend time with relatives; on the other hand, some of us drive while on business, since we continue to invest time and money in our homelands. Thus the news earlier this month regarding the substantive increases in road accidents in Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago, is cause for worry.
Earlier this month, Guyana’s Acting Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie, during the quarterly review with the heads of the traffic departments, noted a 20.8 percent increase in road accidents so far this year. His meeting with traffic officials was held in the days following a deadly road accident that killed two young people in Linden.
Hoppie described the young couple’s tragic passing as being, “One death too many”, even as he revealed a 19.2 percent increase in road deaths resulting from fatal accidents from January 1 to April 3, 2019. Add these two fatalities to the dozens more, and a grim picture emerges of lives that continue to be lost on Guyana’s roads as a result of recklessness by drivers, or from carelessness by pedestrians.
According to available figures, the Guyana traffic department recorded 128 road deaths from 117 accidents for 2016, an increase of 10.3 percent compared to the year before. That year, 2015, saw 126 people killed. For 2017, there were 100 fatal accidents, resulting in 115 deaths caused by a combination of speeding, speeding and drinking behind the wheel, and driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Meanwhile, so far for 2019 in Trinidad and Tobago there has been a 33 percent increase in road deaths for the same period last year, Arrive Alive president Sharon Inglefield said last week. Statistics on the Arrive Alive website indicate as of April 8 there were 36 road death fatalities, nine more than the same period in 2018. Last year 117 people died due to road traffic accidents.
Like Hoppie in Guyana, Inglefield is similarly alarmed at the road deaths. Inglefield said among the reasons for this worrisome increase is a lack of education and road safety. As remarkable as it sounds, Inglefield cited one of the reasons for the deadly outcome is, drivers are purchasing licences. She has since called on the authorities to crack down on the licensing offices where this illegal practice is occurring.
Inglefield noted her organisation’s research revealed more and more DUI offenders were not being properly trained, adding, “They have not done defensive driving. They have literally bought their licence… [We] need to close that gap very fast…” She said among the solutions were making defensive driving part of the road examination process, that instructors be properly trained, and driving schools audited.
Among the solutions in Guyana, calls continue to be made to errant drivers to practise defensive driving, and for greater responsibility while occupying the roads. Calls for earlier driver education have also been made to the Education Ministry, and other relevant stakeholders, to introduce curricula in schools focused on a culture of responsible road usage.
Meanwhile, as visitors to the homelands, it is wise for us to note the Canadian government’s travel advisory while using the roads there: “Driving in Guyana can be dangerous due to poor road conditions, inadequate lighting, roaming animals and poor driving habits. Travel in convoys when possible. Avoid driving at night. Travel to the interior (also known as the hinterlands) is not safe due to low police presence. Always drive in a convoy when visiting the hinterlands… Response time in the case of traffic accidents may be slow due to a lack of resources. Injured persons are frequently transported to hospitals or the nearest medical facility by bystanders, unless they are seriously injured. Local authorities are cooperative, but assistance is limited and may only be available during business hours.”