Guyana has concluded another year that saw a rise in road fatalities, with a disturbing 40 percent jump in the number of children killed on the country’s road ways.According to a public statement by the Works Services Group (WSG), a unit within the Public Works Ministry responsible for Maintenance/Traffic/Safety Division, 60 pedestrians died on the country’s roadways in 2014, this being “a significant increase compared to 2013 where 39 individuals lost their lives”.In a report provided to the Ministry by WSG’s Coordinator Geoffrey Vaugh, the statistics show that over 135 fatal traffic accidents occurred in 2014 resulting in the deaths of 146 persons. This is an increase of 34 deaths compared to 2013 where 112 deaths were recorded.Vaugh related that the 2014 records generate a 23.7 percent increase in fatal accidents and a 23.3 percent increase in fatalities when compared with the previous year. “Additionally, there was a 37.5 percent increase in the number of children killed on the roadways for 2014 when compared with 2013,” Vaughn stated.It was reported further that 26 motor cyclists; 23 passengers; 20 pedal cyclists; 16 drivers and one pillion rider lost their lives last year. Twenty four of these accidents occurred along the East Coast Demerara corridor followed closely by the East Bank of Demerara with 21.A breakdown of accidents occurring in other divisions within the country showed that Georgetown and the West Coast of Demerara experienced the most road accidents. Both saw 16 accidents in 2014, followed by Essequibo Coast and Corentye with 14 accidents.West Coast Berbice experienced 13 accidents, while Linden/Wismar saw eight accidents. Highway to Dora and West Bank Demerara saw seven accidents. Bartica had four accidents and two occurred at New Amsterdam.Up to the end of June 2013, figures released by the Guyana Police Force showed that there were 56 road deaths from 53 accidents, compared with 40 deaths from 38 accidents for the same period in 2012. That month alone accounted for 10 road fatalities. Deaths that year exceeded 2012.Last year’s “Road Safety Month” was the second deadliest for the year. Statistics acquired from the Police Traffic Department had shown that there were 16 deaths in 27 days in November while 22 deaths occurring after 21 days expired in August. Deaths again increased, exceeding that of 2013.During the observance of National Road Safety Month in November 2014, Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn had stated that most of the fatalities involved young men between the ages 18-35. He had stressed that Guyanese need to adapt the culture of safety on the roadways because “the country needs its young population for continued development”.During that same period the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Ministry of Home Affairs launched a National Road Safety Month under the theme “The time is now! Don’t drink and drive, Stay attentive drive defensive.”Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, had said that road safety must be looked at in a more holistic way and must see the involvement of the force, stakeholders,Cheap Air Max From China, the religious community, schools and every other citizen.Mention was made of Guyana’s transportation sector vastly developing, and Rohee had stated that as this is being done, road accidents are equally challenging and are becoming increasingly alarming.Authorities have spoken extensively about the need for reformed legislation against careless, reckless drivers. Several issues such as driving drunk and speeding have been identified as problems facing the traffic sector. The government earlier in the year proposed new measures that it would employ. This now depends on the outcome of the upcoming elections.
