Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn has expressed grave concern about the growing number of road fatalities which have occurred for the year.
In a statement to the press, the minister said his agency is working to address this state of affairs by collaborating with stakeholders to develop a comprehensive action plan to reduce road accidents and fatalities by 50% by 2030.
Benn in his missive said all road users must begin taking personal responsibility by adhering to road safety measures and guidelines.
He continued, “The five Cs’- Care, Caution, Courtesy, Consideration and Common Sense – taught at our driving schools seem to have been forgotten or ignored altogether by many motorists. Motorists are failing to observe the fundamental principle of safe driving, which is to maintain a safe braking distance and not exceed the required speed limits.”
The minister noted that this situation necessitates stringent law enforcement. He noted that it is simply not acceptable that more and more Guyanese continue to perish and be injured on the roadways.
The minister also expressed disappointment in the number of persons still not wearing helmets. He stressed that there is no justification for not wearing a helmet or a seatbelt.
“An accident may occur at any time, but our safety and that of others should be prioritised over convenience, as the case may be. Not only is it the law to wear a helmet or a seatbelt at all times, but it only takes a few seconds to do so. We all have a role to play in the prevention of road accidents. It cannot be the responsibility of the Police Traffic Department alone,” the minister said.
Despite the encouragement given to motorists with the free distribution of safety helmets recently, the ministry said a large number of motorists continue to ride without helmets, moreover, persons are transporting women and children on motorcycles without helmets at high speeds.
“This practice must be stopped,” the minister said, adding that safety on the road ways is an imperative. He said his ministry will continue to hammer home this point.
On November 7, 2022, the National Assembly passed the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2022 to promote and enforce safe driving while imposing much higher penalties for serious infractions.
Additionally, the National Road Safety Council’s financial resources have been boosted from $3 million to more than $11 million, which will aid in the sensitization and reduction of road accidents.
Furthermore, the Traffic Department has also been intensifying efforts to prevent speeding on the roads, but despite these efforts, deaths on the roadways continue to be problematic.
Through advocacy, training, and education, the ministry said it is committed to providing evidence-based road safety knowledge and awareness programmes to create a culture of safety among all road users and address high-risk behaviours.
As part of its corporate social responsibility, the ministry encouraged private sector participation in augmenting national efforts to promote road safety awareness.
